Who is credited as the creator of the Pokémon franchise?

Satoshi Tajiri is credited as the creator of the Pokémon franchise.

Tajiri developed the core concept after imagining a game centered on collecting and exchanging creatures. His childhood interest in insect collecting helped inspire the idea, while the Game Boy’s Link Cable suggested a way for players to trade creatures between systems.

Tajiri presented the concept to Nintendo, and Game Freak developed the first Pokémon games with Nintendo’s support. Ken Sugimori, a longtime collaborator, created the original Pokémon artwork, while other designers, programmers, composers, and producers helped turn the idea into a finished game.

A common mix-up is to call Shigeru Miyamoto the creator. Miyamoto mentored Tajiri and contributed important guidance during development, but Tajiri is the person generally credited with creating Pokémon. Tajiri also co-founded Game Freak, the studio that developed the original games.