Who created the Pokémon franchise, first launched in 1996?

Satoshi Tajiri created the Pokémon franchise, first launched in 1996.

Tajiri grew up collecting insects in Machida, Tokyo, and imagined a game that would let children catch and exchange creatures. The Game Boy’s Link Cable gave him the key idea: players could connect two systems to trade collectibles.

Tajiri founded Game Freak with artist Ken Sugimori in 1989. The company began as a video-game fanzine before becoming a development studio. Tajiri pitched the creature-collecting project to Nintendo, where Shigeru Miyamoto later served as an important mentor.

Game Freak spent about six years developing the first games, Pokémon Red and Green. Tajiri directed that project, while Sugimori illustrated the original Pokémon. A common mix-up is crediting Miyamoto as the creator; Miyamoto supported development, but Tajiri originated the franchise.