Which company was founded in 1998 to help manage the Pokémon brand?

The Pokémon Company was founded in 1998 to help manage the Pokémon brand.

It began as Pokémon Center Co., Ltd., created through a joint investment by Game Freak, Nintendo, and Creatures. Its initial purpose included operating Pokémon Center stores in Japan, but its role later expanded across the entire franchise.

In October 2000, the company adopted the name The Pokémon Company. It handles brand management, licensing, marketing, publishing, and production across video games, trading cards, animation, merchandise, and other Pokémon businesses.

The company is sometimes mistaken for the game developer or original publisher. Game Freak develops the main games, while Nintendo has published and distributed many Pokémon titles. The Pokémon Company coordinates the broader intellectual property and commercial ecosystem involving those partners.