Which country first received Pokémon Red and Blue outside Japan?

The United States was the first country to receive Pokémon Red and Blue outside Japan.

Nintendo released the localized games in North America on September 28, 1998. The international versions were adapted from Japan’s Blue version, although they retained the Red and Blue names and the distribution differences that encouraged trading between games.

The North American launch followed extensive localization and marketing work. Nintendo had concerns that the Japanese games’ cute creature designs might not appeal to American children, but the original visual style was preserved. The release quickly became a major success for the Game Boy.

Other territories followed later. Australia received the games in 1998, while Europe’s release came in 1999. Japan’s original pair was Red and Green, so international players often encounter confusion when comparing version names. Outside Japan, “Red and Blue” became the standard first-generation pairing.