The Pokémon franchise began in 1996 with the Japanese release of Pocket Monsters Red and Green.
Game Freak developed the role-playing games for Nintendo’s Game Boy, while Nintendo published them. Their launch established the series’ central formula: players explore a region, catch collectible creatures, train them, and battle other Trainers.
The games were released in Japan on February 27, 1996. That date is now commemorated as Pokémon Day, making 2026 the franchise’s 30th anniversary year. The original games were later followed by international versions and a rapidly expanding media franchise.
A common mix-up is treating 1998 as Pokémon’s starting year. That was the year Pokémon Red and Blue arrived in North America, after the Japanese launch. The original Japanese pair also used different version names from the international releases: Green, rather than Blue, was the first companion title in Japan.