On what date did the Pokémon video-game series begin in Japan with Pocket Monsters Red and Green?

The Pokémon video-game series began in Japan on February 27, 1996, with Pocket Monsters Red and Green.

Developed for Nintendo’s Game Boy, the paired role-playing games introduced players to the fictional Kanto region, where they caught, trained, traded, and battled Pokémon. Releasing two versions encouraged players to exchange creatures unavailable in their own cartridge.

The launch date is widely treated as Pokémon’s birthday because the video games were the franchise’s first public release. The original Japanese Green version was not released internationally; overseas players received Red and Blue instead.

The games were initially planned for December 1995, but the release was delayed while related merchandise was prepared. Their eventual success established Pokémon as a multimedia franchise spanning games, animation, cards, films, and merchandise.