Pokémon 30th Anniversary Collabs—What You Can Still Buy and What’s Coming | WIRED

Overview

Pokémon 30th Anniversary Collabs—What You Can Still Buy and What’s Coming

Listen closely, and you might still be able to hear it—a rousing 8-bit chiptune chirping out the first call to adventure for a generation, a challenge to catch them all and be the very best, like no one ever was. That’s right—2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Pokémon, which debuted on Nintendo’s original Game Boy handheld back in 1996 with the Japanese launch of Pocket Monsters Red and Green.

Details

While the series wouldn’t make its global debut for another two years as Pokémon Red and Blue—an updated version of Green—it was already on its way to becoming the most successful media product in history. With Pokémon now bigger than Mickey Mouse and Star Wars—combined—it’s little surprise that when the Pokémon Company announced a range of exclusive merchandise to mark the anniversary—for Japan only at the time—it immediately sold out. Things were so bad at one point that there were multi-hour waits to load the official website.

Thankfully, the 30th celebrations are no longer restricted to Pokémon’s homeland, nor to Nintendo and the Pokémon Company’s offerings. As the year has progressed, we’ve seen more collaborations and crossovers with other brands announced, allowing fans to show their love for all things Pocket Monsters with everything from sneakers to high-end gaming chairs. Most of that stuff has sold out straight away, too, so here’s the WIRED roundup of some of the best Pokémerch currently available—and a few coming soon. Brace your wallets.

If you’re not sure what all this fuss is about, why not go back to the beginning and find out for yourself? Well, close to the beginning at least—Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green were enhanced remakes of the very first games, originally released on the Game Boy Advance back in 2004. These digital rereleases bring those versions to the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, with a couple of modern upgrades, like upcoming compatibility with the Pokémon Home app, which will allow players to trade Pokémon caught here to newer games in the series.

It’s disappointing that the gorgeous physical collector’s anniversary edition was restricted to the Japanese market, but at

20 each for these downloadable games, at least you don’t have to break the bank. Switch and Switch 2 owners wanting another take on the original Pokémon adventure might also want to check out 2018’s Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! (

60 each), which offer a more modern experience.

No, this isn’t a cheat entry. The official Pokémon Center site has a frankly daunting collection of 30th-anniversary goods on offer, but, well, it keeps selling out. While it’s worth keeping a regular eye on the site for restocks, a few highlights that are available at time of writing include the paired Pikachu plush (

35), two adorable Pikas holding hands and decked out in Kanto-themed gear (the setting of the original games), an adult crop sweatshirt (

40) depicting the first Pokémon battle any player ever saw, Red and Blue’s Gengar versus Nidorino opening cinematic, and—arguably one of the strangest offerings—a custom Bear Walker maple-wood skateboard ($300), themed on the original mythical Pokémon Mew.

Available now, Puma’s collaboration with Pokémon veers more toward apparel than purely kicks, with a range tailored for kids and big kids alike. Currently available standouts include the men’s oversized jersey (

80), which currently comes in a black-and-yellow style mimicking Dark-type Eeveelution Umbreon or a “Pearl Pink” Psychic-type Espeon, each emblazoned with their Pokédex entry number. Don't forget the relaxed graphic hoodie (also

80) in Pikachu yellow, with a clean, minimalist front and the electric mouse silhouetted on the back. Puma does have sneakerheads covered, though, with its adult-sized Mostros (

130) and Pikachu-themed Fades for older kids (

100).

relaxed graphic hoodie (also $80) in Pikachu yellow

If you’ve just spent a fortune on Pokémon merch, you might want to sit down when you see your next credit card bill. Enter gaming furniture specialist Secretlabs with its own crossover, a trio of chairs decked out in fresh designs based on Gen-1 staples Pikachu, Gengar, and Eevee. All three are based on Secretlabs’ flagship Titan Evo model (7/10, WIRED Recommends), which offers robust back support, a memory foam headrest, and a large padded seat base.

These are undoubtedly some of the pricier options for Pokéllectors—

684 for a regular-sized chair,

734 for XL, and that’s before factoring in any optional modifications like Secretlab’s memory foam armrest toppers or footrests (+

89 each) or a recliner add-on (+

229)—but at least you’ll already be comfortably seated when that next card statement arrives.

Target is doing one of the biggest collaborations in the US, with a vast Pokérange of exclusive goods planned across practically all of its product categories. From foil-cover Trapper Keeper notebooks emblazoned with Gen-1 favorites Gengar, Arcanine, Charizard, and Mewtwo (

3 each), to adult-sized Pokémon trainer pullover jackets (

130), by way of Pokéball kickballs (

15), and even an assortment of

10 fragrances (Pikachu smells like pineapples, apparently), there’s literally something for every Pokéfan here.

Probably wisely, Target is staggering availability—the first retail drop is due to land in brick-and-mortar stores on May 2, before opening to online purchases on May 3 (at 9 am Eastern), with a second physical drop planned for June 6. Target says every product “may sell out quickly,” but for the love of Arceus, try not to go all “Black Friday riots” over Butterfree hair clips, people.

Build-a-Bear has offered Pokémon plushies for a while, allowing fans to pick up quasi-custom cuddlies from multiple generations of the game series, from modern starter Pokémon like Sprigatito (

63) to giant Gengars and Charizards (

150). 2026 sees the workshop bringing back a host of its retired Eeveelutions—all different evolutions of fan-favorite Eevee. Vaporeon, Flareon, and Jolteon are available at the time of writing, with other evolutions such as Sylveon and Leafeon planned to make their return over the course of the year. Eevee itself is also available ($60).

Although this doesn’t seem to be specifically part of the 30th-anniversary collaborations, the return of some of these discontinued plushies should be great for Build-a-Bear and Pokémon collectors alike.

Japanese casual fashion brand Uniqlo is a go-to for striking graphic tees—previous collections have focused on high art to pop art, the best of Shonen Jump manga, and classic anime. It’s absolutely no surprise to see the company getting in on the Pokémon 30th anniversary, then. Orders open June 1, and Uniqlo’s offerings so far seem to be tastefully restrained—five adult tees (

30 each), which not only highlight Gen-1 staples but use the original art and designs from 1996 (OG fat Pikachu, represent), and five kids tees (

20 each), which skew a bit more colorful. These are expected to be available in stores and online, with Uniqlo saying supplies are “arriving mid-June.”

That’s right, all of EDM, the entire electronic dance music genre, is partnering with Pokémon for the 30th anniversary. Well, DJ/rapper/producer Marshmello and support act Alison Wonderland are, at least, performing at a pair of “Pokémon Night Out” events—one in Los Angeles, another in London, UK—that promise an “unforgettable musical experience for attendees, featuring cutting-edge technology and animation to bring Pokémon to life in ways you've never seen before.” This is another pricey option for fans, with tickets ranging from

161 to

432 for the US show, but it might make for one of the most memorable ways to mark the anniversary.

Rumored to launch in September 2026, Pokémon’s crossover with Adidas isn't official, but it's anticipated to be entirely footwear-focused. As noted by sneaker specialist Sole Retriever, the range is expected to feature four variants of Adidas’ Superstar shoe and one of its Samba OG. Pikachu-themed designs take two versions for the former—one solid yellow with black highlights and laces to evoke the series’ iconic mascot, the other a subtler white with gold metallics—while original starter Pokémon Charmander and its evolution Charmeleon take the other two. These blend whites, oranges, and scarlets with fiery accents, befitting the Fire-type creatures. The Samba OG is reserved for the powerhouse Mewtwo, with an “ice lavender” and violet colorway. The MSRP for all five is expected to be $110, but nothing has been confirmed by Adidas.

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Key Takeaways

Pokémon 30th Anniversary Collabs—What You Can Still Buy and What’s Coming
Listen closely, and you might still be able to hear it—a rousing 8-bit chiptune chirping out the first call to adventure for a generation, a challenge to catch them all and be the very best, like no one ever was
While the series wouldn’t make its global debut for another two years as Pokémon Red and Blue—an updated version of Green—it was already on its way to becoming the most successful media product in history
Thankfully, the 30th celebrations are no longer restricted to Pokémon’s homeland, nor to Nintendo and the Pokémon Company’s offerings
If you’re not sure what all this fuss is about, why not go back to the beginning and find out for yourself