Gotta catch ‘em all again: Pokémon’s recent rise in popularity
Pokémon trading cards (Liam Winkelman/The Puma Prensa)
By: Liam Winkelman, Website Editor
In recent months, one name has been circulating on the internet and around the world: Pokémon. The cards, games, and everything else have proliferated in popularity recently, but why is that?
Pokémon is a historic series, stretching back to 1996, when the first games, Red and Green, for the Game Boy, a video game device made by Nintendo in Japan, were released. The card game was also released there later that year. Then, in 1998, Pokémon entered the global market with a television show, English trading cards, and Game Boy games. From this point on, Pokémon went global, reaching everywhere and experiencing a massive surge in popularity lately.
If you don't already know the Pokémon series, there isn't a better time to be introduced. A Pokémon is a creature of varying origin, from gods to common pigeons and everything in between. Pokémon has developed mascots such as the iconic Pikachu over the years, some created by the community and some by the company through its shows and promotions. These have branched the franchise out to even more objects, like plushies and lunchboxes.
Pokémon has always been popular, finding a community among the younger generation of today, while also retaining the support of older generations. It does this in as many ways as possible while still having defining characteristics. Video games have evolved over the years into broader genres, rather than just linear stories like the originals. However, they have still retained their roots as role-playing games, set in a fantasy world based on our own, where Pokémon are a part of it. These games have grown with the Nintendo brand, becoming a staple with the console and a primary reason people buy these consoles, even decades after their release.
Outside of the games, Pokémon has been a staple of people's childhoods, including my own, as a show. For decades, episodes have followed a young boy named Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu as they explore different regions of the world, collect Pokémon, and battle others in those regions using those Pokémon. With themes like friendship and trust, the show has heightened in popularity among younger kids while still resonating with older audiences through jokes and other references.
Pokémon also has a trading card game that has grown the franchise as a hobby, making it even more popular. This has been the central aspect that entertains the people about this topic. You participate in this hobby by obtaining Pokémon packs and opening them to find cards inside relating to creatures in the games and shows. Some of these cards can be fully decorated with art and look wonderful, or they are just incredibly rare. These cards, or “chase cards,” have been the coveted prize of the hobby, being the want of every collector and opener. Is this gambling? Yes, your opening packages of cards hoping to make a profit by selling them where you most likely won't. In moderation though, it's very fun, and having lots of these shiny pieces of cardboard makes many people happy.
So, why has Pokémon become so popular again? It boils down to a few simple things that have been released recently, causing the craze to rise to similar levels as the series' release. This includes a new mobile game and booster packs based on the original sets.
The mobile game, also known as Pokémon TCG Pocket (trading card game), has become very popular among many people for its fun gameplay. This includes getting to open multiple booster packs, similar to real cards, for free. This allows even more people to get into the hobby without spending a lot of money on physical cards. You can also battle with these cards, build decks, and battle your friends and other random people.
The card game has also had its recent release of the booster packs, Prismatic Evolutions, 151, Journey Together, and the soon-to-be Destined Rivals. For starters, Prismatic Evolutions contains many cards related to the fan-favorite Pokémon, Eevee, and all seven of its evolutions, generating hype among people worldwide who love these creatures and want their physical art cards. The other three booster packs are all unique in that they are all sets from the 1990s, or at least highly based on them. 151 is based on the original 151 Pokémon released in the Kanto region, the first area of the first game, and also the first booster pack ever. Journey Together and Destined Rivals are both based on Gym Heroes and Team Rocket booster packs, respectively, fan-favorite packs from the 1990s.
The biggest issue with this rise in cards that are based on the older sets is resellers or as they are more commonly known, scalpers. These people know others are looking for rare and expensive cards in these packages and so they buy out all the product and sell it at insane markups, some rising to more than triple the price while the product is still being produced in factories and stocked up on shelves. This makes products even harder to find in stores and more expensive, making the hobby quite pricey lately.
Overall, Pokémon has become a massive center of attention again, just as it was years ago. This has solidified it as one of the most successful and popular series of all time, reaching new and nostalgic audiences as it continues.