On what date did Pokémon Red and Green first launch in Japan, beginning the Pokémon franchise?

Pokémon Red and Green first launched in Japan on February 27, 1996, beginning the Pokémon franchise.

The games were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the original Game Boy. They were designed as paired releases, with different Pokémon available in each version to encourage trading between players.

The Japanese versions were called Pocket Monsters Red and Green. International releases later used the titles Pokémon Red and Blue, because the overseas version was based on the Japanese Blue edition’s updated artwork, code, and dialogue.

The launch was delayed from a planned December 1995 release because related merchandise was not ready. The delay did not prevent the games from becoming major successes, and February 27 is now celebrated annually as Pokémon Day. It is also the key date behind the franchise’s 30th anniversary in 2026.