Who created the Pokémon franchise and first conceived its core game concept?

Satoshi Tajiri created the Pokémon franchise and first conceived its core game concept.

Tajiri grew up collecting insects in Japan, and that childhood interest became the creative foundation for Pokémon. He wanted players to experience the excitement of finding, collecting, and exchanging creatures.

The idea took shape after Tajiri saw the Game Boy and realized its Link Cable could connect two handheld systems. He imagined creatures traveling between players, turning the cable into a tool for trading rather than only competition.

Tajiri developed the project through Game Freak, the company he had formed with illustrator Ken Sugimori. Nintendo supported the lengthy development, while Shigeru Miyamoto acted as an important mentor. The first games took about six years to complete.