Timeline of Pokémon facts for kids

Official logo for international release. "Pokémon" is short for the original Japanese title of "Pocket Monsters".

Pokémon, also known as Pocket Monsters in Japan, is a super popular media franchise. It's managed by The Pokémon Company, which was started by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures. Pokémon includes video games, TV shows, movies, trading cards, and much more!

The Pokémon world is divided into "generations." Each new generation brings new Pokémon creatures and a new region to explore. The very first generation started in Japan on February 27, 1996, with the games Pocket Monsters Red and Green. As of 2024, there are nine main video game generations.

The History of Pokémon

This timeline shows the exciting journey of the Pokémon franchise!

The Beginning of Pokémon: 1996-2000

1996: The Start!

• February 27: The very first Pokémon games, Pocket Monsters Red & Green, launched in Japan for the Game Boy. These were the start of Generation I.
• October 15: Pocket Monsters Blue, an updated version of the first games, also came out in Japan.
• October 20: The Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) was first released.

1997: Anime Adventures Begin

• March: The Pokémon Adventures manga (comic books) started in Japan.
• April 1: The first Japanese Pokémon TV show, Pocket Monsters, aired its first episode, "Pokemon, I Choose You!"

1998: Pokémon Goes Global

• July 18: The first Pokémon movie, Pokémon The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back, premiered in Japan.
• September 8: The first English version of the TV show, Pokémon: Indigo League, was released in North America.
• September 12: Pokémon Yellow, a special version of the first games, came out in Japan for the Game Boy and Game Boy Color.
• September 28: Pokémon Red and Blue, the international versions of the original games, were released in North America. This was Pokémon's big international debut!

1999: New Games and Movies

• January 21: Super Smash Bros. 64, a crossover fighting game featuring Pokémon, launched in Japan.
• March 21: Pokémon Snap, a fun photography spin-off game, was released in Japan.
• November 21: Pokémon Gold and Silver, the main games for Generation II, came out in Japan for the Game Boy Color.
• December 4: The second English TV show season, Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands, was released in the United States.

2000: More Johto Adventures

• July 18: The third Pokémon movie, Pokémon 3: The Movie: Spell of the Unown, was released in Japan.
• December 14: Pokémon Crystal, an updated version of Gold and Silver, was released in Japan. It was the last main Pokémon game for the Game Boy Color.

Expanding the Pokémon World: 2001-2005

2001: Five Years of Pokémon!

• February 27: Pokémon celebrated its fifth anniversary!
• July 7: The fourth Pokémon movie, Pokémon 4Ever Celebi: Voice of the Forest, was released in Japan.
• November 16: The first Pokémon Center store in New York City opened.

2002: Generation III Arrives

• April 1: The Pokémon anime celebrated its fifth anniversary.
• July 13: The fifth Pokémon movie, Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias, premiered in Japan.
• November 21: Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, the first main games for the Game Boy Advance and the start of Generation III, were released in Japan.

2003: New Adventures

• July 19: The sixth Pokémon movie, Jirachi Wish Maker, was released in Japan.

2004: Remakes and Emerald

• January 29: Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, remakes of the very first Pokémon games, were released in Japan for the Game Boy Advance. These were the first-ever Pokémon remakes!
• July 17: The seventh Pokémon movie, Destiny Deoxys, premiered in Japan.
• September 16: Pokémon Emerald, an updated version of Ruby and Sapphire, was released in Japan. It was the last main Pokémon game for the Game Boy Advance.
• November 21: The Nintendo DS handheld console was first released in North America.

2005: Mystery Dungeons and More

• July 16: The eighth Pokémon movie, Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, was released in Japan.
• November 17: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team, the first games in the popular spin-off series, were released in Japan.

New Generations and Global Growth: 2006-2010

2006: Ten Years of Pokémon!

• February 27: Pokémon celebrated its tenth anniversary!
• September 28: Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, the main games for Generation IV and the first main games for the Nintendo DS, were released in Japan.
• September 28: The Pokémon Diamond and Pearl anime series also began in Japan.
• October 20: The Pokémon Trading Card Game celebrated its tenth anniversary.

2007: More Diamond and Pearl

• April 1: The Pokémon anime celebrated its tenth anniversary.
• July 14: The tenth Pokémon movie, The Rise of Darkrai, was released in Japan.

2008: Platinum and Smash Bros.

• January 31: Super Smash Bros. Brawl, another crossover game, was released in Japan for the Wii.
• July 19: The eleventh Pokémon movie, Giratina and the Sky Warrior, premiered in Japan.
• September 13: Pokémon Platinum, an updated version of Diamond and Pearl, was released in Japan.

2009: HeartGold and SoulSilver

• July 18: The twelfth Pokémon movie, Arceus and the Jewel of Life, was released in Japan.
• September 12: Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, awesome remakes of Pokémon Gold and Silver, were released in Japan for the Nintendo DS.

2010: Black and White Era Begins

• July 10: The thirteenth Pokémon movie, Zoroark: Master of Illusions, was released in Japan.
• September 18: Pokémon Black and White, the main games for Generation V, were released in Japan for the Nintendo DS.
• September 23: The Pokémon: Best Wishes! anime series began in Japan.

New Horizons: 2011-2015

2011: Fifteen Years Strong!

• February 26: The Nintendo 3DS handheld console was first released in Japan.
• February 27: The Pokémon video games and franchise celebrated their fifteenth anniversary!
• July 16: The fourteenth Pokémon movie, Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram and White—Victini and Zekrom, was released in Japan. This was the first time two Pokémon movies were released together!
• October 20: The Pokémon Trading Card Game celebrated its fifteenth anniversary.

2012: Sequels and New Consoles

• June 23: Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, the first-ever direct sequels to main Pokémon games, were released in Japan for the Nintendo DS.
• July 14: The fifteenth Pokémon movie, Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice, premiered in Japan.
• November 18: The Wii U home console was first released in North America.

2013: Worldwide Release and XY

• July 13: The sixteenth Pokémon movie, Genesect and the Legend Awakened, was released in Japan.
• October 12: Pokémon X and Y, the main games for Generation VI and the first main games for the Nintendo 3DS, were released worldwide at the same time! This was a big moment for Pokémon fans everywhere.
• October 17: The Pokémon: XY anime series began in Japan.

2014: Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

• July 19: The seventeenth Pokémon movie, Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction, was released in Japan.
• November 21: Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, remakes of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, were released worldwide for the Nintendo 3DS.

2015: Pokémon GO Announced

• July 18: The eighteenth Pokémon movie, Hoopa and the Clash of Ages, was released in Japan.
• September 10: The exciting mobile game Pokémon GO was announced!

Milestones and New Eras: 2016-2020

2016: Twenty Years of Pokémon!

• February 27: Pokémon celebrated its twentieth anniversary! The original Game Boy games were re-released for the Nintendo 3DS.
• July 6: Pokémon GO, the popular location-based mobile game, was first released in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
• July 16: The nineteenth Pokémon movie, Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel, was released in Japan.
• October 20: The Pokémon Trading Card Game celebrated its twentieth anniversary.
• November 18: Pokémon Sun and Moon, the main games for Generation VII, were released worldwide for the Nintendo 3DS.
• November 17: The Pokémon Sun and Moon anime series began in Japan.

2017: Nintendo Switch and Ultra Sun/Moon

• March 3: The Nintendo Switch console was released worldwide.
• April 1: The Pokémon anime celebrated its twentieth anniversary.
• July 15: The twentieth Pokémon movie, I Choose You!, an alternate timeline story, was released in Japan.
• November 17: Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, updated versions of Sun and Moon, were released worldwide for the Nintendo 3DS.

2018: Let's Go and Detective Pikachu

• March 23: Detective Pikachu, a unique spin-off game, was released for Nintendo 3DS.
• July 13: The twenty-first Pokémon movie, The Power of Us, was released in Japan.
• November 16: Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, remakes of Pokémon Yellow for the Nintendo Switch, were released worldwide. These were the first main Pokémon games on the Switch!
• December 7: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a huge crossover game, was released for the Nintendo Switch.

2019: Live-Action Movie and Sword/Shield

• May 3: Detective Pikachu, the first live-action Pokémon movie, premiered in Japan.
• July 12: The twenty-second Pokémon movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back: EVOLUTION, a CGI remake of the first movie, was released in Japan.
• November 15: Pokémon Sword and Shield, the main games for Generation VIII, were released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch.
• November 17: The Pocket Monsters anime series began in Japan, focusing on all regions.

2020: DLC and New Mobile Games

• February 12: Pokémon Home, a cloud service for storing Pokémon, was released worldwide.
• February 27: Mewtwo Strikes Back: EVOLUTION became the first Pokémon movie to premiere on Netflix worldwide.
• March 6: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX, a remake of the original Mystery Dungeon games, was released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch.
• June 17: Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Isle of Armor, the first of two DLCs (downloadable content) for Sword and Shield, was released.
• June 24: Pokémon Café Mix, a fun puzzle game, was released worldwide for mobile.
• October 22: Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Crown Tundra, the second DLC for Sword and Shield, was released.
• December 25: The twenty-third Pokémon movie, Secrets of the Jungle, was released in Japan.

Recent Adventures and Future Plans: 2021-Present

2021: Twenty-Five Years of Pokémon!

• February 27: The Pokémon video games and franchise celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary! There was even a virtual concert with Post Malone.
• April 30: New Pokémon Snap, a sequel to the photography game, was released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch.
• July 21: Pokémon Unite, a spin-off MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game, was released for Nintendo Switch.
• November 19: Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, remakes of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, were released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch.

2022: Legends and Scarlet/Violet

• January 28: Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a new kind of Pokémon adventure set in the past, was released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch.
• April 1: The Pokémon anime celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary in Japan.
• November 18: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the main games for Generation IX, were released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch.

2023: New Anime and Sleep Tracking

• April 14: Pocket Monsters: Liko and Roy's Departure, a new Pokémon anime series with new main characters, began airing in Japan.
• July 17: Pokémon Sleep, a mobile game that tracks your sleep, was released.
• October 6: Detective Pikachu Returns, a sequel to the video game, was released.
• December 28: Pokémon Concierge, a stop-motion animated series, aired on Netflix.

Upcoming Adventures

• A sequel to the Detective Pikachu film is planned.
• Pokémon Legends: Z-A, a new game in the Legends series, is coming in 2025.