What was the former name of The Pokémon Company when it was founded in 1998?

The Pokémon Company was founded in 1998 under the name Pokémon Center Co., Ltd.

Nintendo, Creatures, and Game Freak established the company as a joint venture to manage Pokémon Center stores in Japan. The first Pokémon Center store opened in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, on July 18, 1998, giving the organization an initial focus on specialized merchandise retail.

The company’s responsibilities later expanded far beyond stores. As Pokémon became a global entertainment brand spanning games, cards, animation, films, publishing, licensing, and merchandise, a centralized organization was needed to coordinate those businesses. Pokémon Center Co., Ltd. was reorganized and renamed The Pokémon Company in October 2000.

This history creates a common naming trap. The Pokémon Company is often described as a 1998 organization, which is correct in terms of its predecessor’s founding, but its current name dates from 2000. Pokémon USA, Inc. was a separate overseas affiliate founded in 2001, so it was not the company’s original name.