Which Pokémon games were the first in the series to have a simultaneous global release?

Pokémon X and Y were the first Pokémon games to have a simultaneous global release.

The two Nintendo 3DS games launched worldwide on October 12, 2013. Earlier main-series Pokémon games had generally reached Japan before North America, Europe, and other markets, so X and Y marked a major change in the franchise’s release strategy.

X and Y are the first entries in Generation VI and introduced the Kalos region, which is inspired by France. They also brought fully polygonal 3D graphics to the main series, character customization, Mega Evolution, and the Fairy type.

The games were released in paired versions featuring different legendary Pokémon: X features Xerneas, while Y features Yveltal. Although the versions share the same broad adventure, trading between them remains important for completing the Pokédex.