Today Is Pokémon’s 20th Anniversary


But an anniversary is just another day really. Why is this one so special? Because 20 years is long enough to see nearly your entire fan base grow up. Those kids that played the first couple generations of games? They’re now working class individuals. The kids who watched the show and had the holographic Charizard card? They’re now blogging and getting their voice out there. So while there will eventually be bigger and better anniversaries, here at #20 we have something that still holds a hugely nostalgic effect on millions of individuals young and old.

Pokémon is one of the most successful franchises in all of video game history. And the joys you found while playing when you were a kid are the same joys younger ones today experience when they pick up one of the newer games. To get a grasp on what that means, watch this video below, which Nintendo released yesterday to celebrate 20 years of Pokémon trainers:

And yes, they’ve announced two new Pokémon titles, Sun and Moon, which should arrive Holiday 2016. A seventh generation of all new Pokémon. I haven’t personally played since the 3rd generation, but I can’t wait to get back into it. Why? Why not! Watching that video reminds me of all the fun I’ve ever had while playing that series.

And then there’s Pokémon Go, which brought me back into the franchise. No, it hasn’t been released yet, but this is why the 20th anniversary year for the franchise is going to be so very great. The technology is primed and ready to take handheld gaming to the next level – your mobile device.

Pokémon was an instrumental stepping stone for the Pokémon genre, and key to the success of future handheld gaming devices in the future. Pokémon Go takes the approach a step further by literally getting you out of the house to find Pokémon in the wild – your wild, whether suburban, urban, rural or other. Niantic is building a massive title that has raised over $35M from investors since it began. Take a look below:

If there were ever a time to get back into Pokémon, this is it. Are you guys still fans? Interested in any of the new games. Still watching the anime? Let me know in the comments below, and if you’re a writer, note my latest Daily Fantasy Writing Prompt ties in pretty well.

6 thoughts on “Today Is Pokémon’s 20th Anniversary

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