The Pokémon Trading Card Game’s English Base Set first launched in the United States on January 9, 1999.
The card game had already debuted in Japan in October 1996, based on the Pokémon video games. In the United States, Wizards of the Coast published the cards, using the company’s experience with collectible games to establish the English-language version.
The Base Set featured cards for the original Pokémon and helped expand Pokémon from a handheld game and television series into a major tabletop hobby. Players could build decks, battle opponents, collect cards, and trade duplicates, echoing the video games’ emphasis on exchange and collecting.
The Japanese launch date is often mistaken for the American one. Japan’s first set appeared on October 20, 1996, while the English Base Set arrived in 1999. Wizards of the Coast published the early English sets before publishing rights later moved to The Pokémon Company.