As Pokémon marks its 30th anniversary in 2026, millions of fans worldwide are celebrating the enduring franchise through augmented reality events, card collecting, and multi-generational family traditions. Despite recent data privacy debates and collectible market thefts, the global media empire continues to generate billions in revenue across mobile apps and merchandise.
Ten Years of Augmented Reality and Global Celebrations for Pokémon Go
Festivals in London, Toronto, New York, and other major cities marked a decade since the July 2016 launch of Pokémon Go, the mobile app developed by Niantic Labs that brought virtual creatures into parks, transit hubs, and city streets. In New York City’s Times Square, over 1,000 players gathered for an in-person raid event as game footage flashed across massive digital screens, according to publisher Scopely. Similar celebratory crowds packed locations like Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto and Shoreditch in east London.
For many participants, the enduring appeal lies in physical activity and shared community. Rumeysa Usca, a 34-year-old engineer who traveled to the London pop-up with her Pomeranian dog, noted that the application provides multiple benefits to entertain my dog, entertain myself and lose weight
according to the Guardian. Others, such as Ben York in Toronto, recalled the widespread social cohesion of the game’s initial summer, describing it as the closest thing we had to world peace
when neighbors met on downtown sidewalks.
Generational Bonding and Nostalgia Across Three Decades
The franchise itself dates back to February 1996, when creator Satoshi Tajiri introduced Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green for the Nintendo Game Boy in Japan, drawing inspiration from childhood insect collecting in Tokyo suburbs. Three decades later, those early players are introducing the universe to their own children.
In Port Lincoln on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, Jez Sundqvist shares the hobby with his 11-year-old son, Auden, noting that the game just brings back all those memories of getting probably, you know, Pokémon Red or Pokémon Blue for the Game Boy and cracking that out of the packet.
Similarly, Ebonie Gardiner bonds with her 13-year-old daughter Cherrish-Lee over plush toy collections and anime viewing.
Soaring Collectible Prices and Retail Security Concerns
While mobile applications drive digital engagement, physical trading cards have transformed into high-value luxury commodities. Professional grading services like PSA and Beckett authenticate cards on a 1-to-10 scale, where pristine specimens command multi-million-dollar sums. Earlier this year, the world’s only PSA 10-graded Pikachu Illustrator card sold for £12m, following social media personality Logan Paul’s earlier $5.3 million purchase of the same card.
This financial appreciation has introduced severe security challenges for local businesses. Store owners in Southern California and New York have faced armed robberies and break-ins resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. Duy Pham, owner of Do-We Collectibles in Anaheim—where thieves stole more than $80,000 in cards in a single raid—stated that the hobby will never be the same,
adding that it is now harder for legitimate collectors and players to acquire retail stock.
Corporate Expansion and Location Data Scrutiny
Behind the consumer experience, corporate ownership of the franchise continues to evolve through high-profile acquisitions. Scopely acquired Pokémon Go in a 2025 deal valued at $3.5 billion US, having previously been purchased in 2023 by Savvy Games Group, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Scopely reported that the game has reached over 800 million players across 150 countries and generated over $1 billion in revenue during 2025 alone.
This corporate network has drawn scrutiny. While some players expressed unease regarding data privacy and ownership structures, others remain resigned, noting that digital tracking is ubiquitous across modern smartphone applications.
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