Which Pokémon game versions first launched the franchise outside Japan?

Pokémon Red and Blue were the first Pokémon game versions released outside Japan.

Nintendo launched Pokémon Red and Blue in North America on September 28, 1998. The games were adapted from the Japanese Red, Green, and Blue releases, with updated graphics and other changes based largely on the Japanese Blue version. They later reached Europe in 1999.

The naming difference is important. Japan's original pair was Red and Green, while international markets received Red and Blue. Pokémon Yellow was released later as an enhanced version featuring Pikachu, so it was not the franchise's first international game release.

The international launch helped transform Pokémon from a successful Japanese Game Boy series into a global multimedia franchise. The games retained the first generation's Kanto setting, 151-species roster, version-exclusive Pokémon, and link-cable trading. Those features made trading between different versions a central part of the worldwide release.