The franchise subsequently expanded far beyond the original games, becoming a worldwide phenomenon encompassing video games, the Pokemon Trading Card Game, animation, merchandise and mobile games. The Pokemon Company says that Pokémon video games have now sold more than 380 million copies worldwide.
The 30th-anniversary celebrations began with Pokemon Day in February 2026, with The Pokemon Company describing the entire year as a celebration of 30 years of Pokemon.
The Legend of Zelda’s anniversary has an even longer history. The original “The Legend of Zelda” was released in Japan in 1986, beginning a series that has continued across Nintendo consoles and handheld systems for four decades. Nintendo’s official anniversary history now covers the series from its original 1986 beginning through modern games including “Breath of the Wild”, “Tears of the Kingdom” and “Echoes of Wisdom”. That makes 2026 the “40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda”.
2026 is a remarkable year for Nintendo fans. Two of the company’s most recognizable video game franchises are reaching major milestones: Pokemon is celebrating its 30th anniversary, while The Legend of Zelda is celebrating 40 years of adventures.
Both anniversaries are bringing games, special events, classic releases, merchandise and other projects to fans. Although Pokémon and Zelda are very different types of games, their anniversaries provide an opportunity to look back at some of the most important titles in their histories—and at the games that are representing these franchises today.
The Pokemon anniversary goes back to February 27, 1996, when “Pokemon Red” and “Pokemon Green” were released in Japan for the original Game Boy. This marked the beginning of the Pokémon video game series.
Pokemon’s anniversary is a look back at Pokemon’s history. The 2026 Pokemon Day presentation included announcements involving both new and classic games.
Among the games and projects highlighted were “Pokemon Legends: Z-A”, “Pokemon Champions”, “Pokemon Pokopia”, the upcoming “Pokemon Winds” and “Pokemon Waves”, and the return of “Pokémon FireRed” and “Pokemon LeafGreen”. “Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness” was also announced for Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics on Nintendo Switch 2.
The Pokemon Trading Card Game is also playing a major role. The “Pokemon TCG: 30th Celebration” expansion launched in September 2026 and includes new cards as well as a Classic Collection looking back at Pokemon’s history. The celebration also features anniversary products and special artwork, including numerous Pikachu cards.
The anniversary has also extended to “Pokemon GO”, “Pokemon UNITE”, “Pokemon Masters EX”, “Pokemon Sleep”, “Pokemon Café ReMix” and other Pokemon experiences. Special real-world Pokemon Day Out and Pokemon Night Out events are also part of the planned celebrations.
“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5, 2026. It is significant because the 1998 Nintendo 64 game is one of the defining entries in Zelda history. Nintendo’s own anniversary history places it prominently in the series timeline, where Link must gather the seven sages after Ganondorf takes control of Hyrule.