On what date were the first Pokémon games released in Japan, launching the Pokémon franchise?

The first Pokémon games were released in Japan on February 27, 1996, launching the Pokémon franchise.

Those games were Pocket Monsters Red and Green, developed by Game Freak for Nintendo’s Game Boy. Their Japanese release began a series that later expanded into animation, trading cards, films, manga, merchandise, and mobile games.

The date is sometimes confused with the international launch dates of Pokémon Red and Blue. The original Green version was not released outside Japan; overseas markets received Red and Blue instead. The anime followed later, first airing in Japan in 1997.

February 27 is now celebrated as Pokémon Day. The date marks the anniversary of the original Japanese video-game release, rather than the debut of Pikachu, the television series, or the trading card game.