Devoted fans of Pokemon should be well aware that 25 years ago this month, Pokemon Gold and Silver debuted in Japan before coming to the U.S. nearly a year later. The game added over 100 new Pokemon to the lore and it’s widely regarded as one of the best titles in the franchise. Now, The Pokemon Company is honoring the 25th anniversary of Pokemon Gold and Silver with some new merchandise that may make you want to “catch ’em all.”
The announcement was shared on the official site for Pokemon, and for now at least, the merch appears to be exclusive to the Japanese Pokemon Center. The most eye-catching examples of the new products are the plushes for the games‘ mascots, Ho-Oh and Lugia, as well as some really cool jackets that come with reversible designs that feature the Johto region–which was introduced in Pokemon Gold and Silver. There are also picture-changing cups, plates, backpacks, bookends, and more.
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The bad news is that there don’t seem to be any plans for Nintendo or The Pokemon Company to bring this merchandise to America despite the intense fanbase that is still going strong in this country. It’s almost certain that scalpers will pick up these items and resell them on American auction sites for exorbitant amounts of money. But until Pokemon’s parent companies decide to rectify that situation, there aren’t many options for fans outside of Japan.
Pokemon was recently denied a place in America’s Toy Hall of Fame. However, we strongly suspect Pokemon will eventually find its way in. The franchise’s enduring popularity has already led to 30 million downloads for the mobile game Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket on the App Store and Google Play in its first week alone. That’s not even counting the 99 million units Pokemon has moved on Nintendo Switch. Even Pokemon Go remains a favorite of mobile game players nearly a decade after its release.