The Pokémon Company facts for kids
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Headquarters at Roppongi Hills Mori Tower
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Native name
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株式会社ポケモン
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Romanized name
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Kabushiki gaisha Pokémon |
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Formerly
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The Pokémon Center Company (1998–2000) |
| Joint venture | |
| Founded | 23 April 1998 Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Japan |
| Headquarters | Roppongi, , |
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Key people
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Tsunekazu Ishihara (President and CEO) Takato Utsunomiya (COO) Junichi Masuda (Chief Creative Fellow) |
| Products | Pokémon franchise |
| Services | Brand management |
| Revenue | ¥ 297.51 billion (2023) |
 ¥ 62.7 billion (2023) |
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| Owners | |
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Number of employees
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448 (2022) |
| Subsidiaries |
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The Pokémon Company (also known as TPC) is a Japanese company. It helps manage, create, and sell everything related to the Pokémon world. This includes the popular video games, the trading card game, the anime TV shows, movies, manga comics, and lots of merchandise.
The company was started by three big companies: Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures. These three companies own the rights to Pokémon. They created The Pokémon Company to focus on the huge Pokémon franchise. It started in April 1998 to run the Pokémon Center stores in Japan. By October 2000, it grew to manage the entire franchise and changed to its current name. The main office is in the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
The Pokémon Company has different branches around the world. For example, The Pokémon Company International handles operations outside of Asia. This branch manages the brand, licensing, marketing, the Trading Card Game, and the official Pokémon website in places like America and Europe.
Since 2001, The Pokémon Company has published all Pokémon video games in Japan. Nintendo helps distribute these games worldwide. Both companies work together on things like making games ready for different countries and checking their quality. Game Freak develops the main Pokémon games. The Pokémon Company is also fully in charge of publishing mobile Pokémon games.
Contents
The Story of Pokémon Company
In 1998, Nintendo, Creatures, and Game Freak created a company called The Pokémon Center Company. Their goal was to manage the Pokémon Center stores in Japan. After the games Pokémon Gold and Silver became very popular, many companies wanted to make Pokémon merchandise.
At that time, Tsunekazu Ishihara from Creatures was in charge of approving all these products. There were so many products that it became too much for one person. Ishihara also wanted the Pokémon story to continue with new TV shows and movies every year. So, they decided they needed a new organization. This new group would bring together all the different parts of managing the Pokémon brand.
This led the three companies to change The Pokémon Center Company into The Pokémon Company. This new company had a much bigger role and more responsibilities. Satoru Iwata, who later became the president of Nintendo, said that setting up The Pokémon Company was one of his first big projects at Nintendo.
Managing the Pokémon Center stores is still a very important part of the company's work. There are now 11 Pokémon Center stores in Japan. These stores are in cities like Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka.
In 2001, a branch called Pokémon USA, Inc. opened in the United States. This branch handled licensing for Pokémon products in the Americas. Nintendo Australia helps with some Pokémon licensing and marketing in Australia and New Zealand. This is because The Pokémon Company does not have a direct branch there.
Since 2001, most Pokémon products show "©Pokémon" for copyright. They also mention the original three owners: "©Nintendo", "©GAME FREAK inc.", and "©Creatures Inc.". These three companies own all Pokémon trademarks in Japan. Nintendo owns the Pokémon trademarks in other countries. Other companies like Tomy and Jazwares make licensed Pokémon toys.
In 2006, Pokémon Korea, Inc. was started to manage the company's work in South Korea. Its main office is in Seoul.
In 2009, Pokémon USA and Pokémon UK joined together. They became The Pokémon Company International. This new company manages Pokémon operations in America and Europe. Kenji Okubo leads this branch. The U.S. office is in Bellevue, Washington. The U.K. office is in London.
In August 2011, Pokémon Center Co., Ltd. was created. This company specifically manages the Pokémon Center brand and stores in Japan. It runs the Pokémon Store and Pokémon Center locations. It also oversees the Pokémon Stand vending machines and the Pokémon Center Online store. This company also designs and makes Japanese Pokémon Center merchandise. Yomiomi Uego is currently its president.
In April 2022, The Pokémon Company International bought Millennium Print Group. This printing company had been making cards for the Pokémon Trading Card Game since 2015. This purchase helps The Pokémon Company expand its printing abilities. Millennium Print Group still operates as its own company.
On June 1, 2022, Game Freak co-founder Junichi Masuda joined The Pokémon Company. He took on a new role called Chief Creative Fellow. In this role, he works on the entire Pokémon franchise, not just the video games.
In March 2024, The Pokémon Company and ILCA started a new company together called The Pokémon Works. This new company will develop and support future Pokémon projects.
What Pokémon Company Creates
Games and Trading Cards
- Pokémon video game series
- Pokémon Trading Card Game
- Pokémon Trading Figure Game
Anime Shows and Movies
Books
Live-Action Movies
- Pokémon Detective Pikachu
More to Explore
- List of highest-grossing media franchises
See also
In Spanish: The Pokémon Company para niños
