Executive Director believes the series can last another 50 years

The chief of Pokémon Company believes that the series can last for at least another 50 years if it continues to innovate.

For the first time, it was launched on Nintendo's Game Boy in 1996, video game expanded into movies, television and toys to become one of the largest media franchise in the world.

Most recently, the game of commercial cards based on sweet creatures in the center of its universe have observed an increase in popularity – but it also brought scalpers and frauds to the hobby.

Executive Director Tsunekazu Ishihara, who has managed the company since 1998, spoke to the BBC News before its annual update on the secret of its success, to address the challenges and the future of the series.

Pokémon Day is live annually, presenting upcoming editions, upgrades and events.

Fans received an extended look at the upcoming Nintendo Switch Pokémon Legends: ZA, and I learned that it would be out later this year.

There was also a first glance at Pokémon Champions, an upcoming mobile game that looked inspired by a stadium series focused on battles.

And the company also showed additions to the digital and physical versions of its commercial card game.

Mr Ishihara did not give away too much before the event, but says that the long-term goal of the company is to “enrich both the real and virtual world.”

Pokémon Go – a successful mobile phone app for the company that works with GPS on the device to put monsters in the real world – is an example of this.

“This is what I think is Pokémon's most powerful power and it's important for us to come up with this kind of idea,” he says.

“So I think of what we want to achieve further.”

One of the hottest topics among the long-term fans of Pokémon today is the scalpers.

The resumption of the collector card game has attracted the attention of distributors who buy new packages in the hope of landing rare, valuable cards.

YouTuber Logan Paul switched a lot of people to the hobby's potential profits when paying $ 5.3 million (3.9 million pounds) for Pokémon's most expensive card ever.

Game companies have long had a second-hand market problem, and Mr. Ishihara says it “prevents the sale of new products.”

“When the second -hand market becomes more valuable because of a rarity, it is problematic because our business is affected.”

Fans have suggested that Pokémon Company may produce a larger volume of difficult or limited subjects, but Mr. Ishihara says she can't do much to control in the resale market.

“These objects are seen as valuable because they are rare or regarded as a harvest – and this is not our place to say they are not,” he says.

On the topic of counterfeit products, Ishihara is more directed and says that the company's legal teams have fought “strictly” against clones and counterfeits from the beginning.

It Has recently won a long legal battle Against the Chinese company behind the COPYCAT mobile app.

And earlier this year she joined Nintendo to sue the creators of Palworld – an online game to survive a multiplayer described as “Pokémon with Weapons”.

He claims that the developers have broken the patents they have denied.

Pokémon continues to lead new franchise fans, expanding in anime, card games, movies and toys with his video game titles.

Ishihara says that fans now “cover several generations” and believes that “the biggest reason for their success is the fact that Pokémon has become a tool for communication.”

Last weekend, about 13,000 Pokémon fans headed for the European foot of the International Championships at the London Center Excel.

This demonstrates the opinion of G -N -Ishihara that people have found a way in the series through different means.

Fans Justin, 25, and 28 -year -old Marina, who turned to the Team Rocket costumes, tell BBC News that they have entered Pokémon by watching the animated television show as children.

“I just loved all the designs, all the different characters,” Justin says.

“They were just really sweet.”

Marina says personal events have become a chance for her to meet her colleagues.

“I always wanted to go to conventions and similar types of events.

“So you can be here and connect and befriend, it was such a blessing,” she says.

Pokémon is unusual because it is a private company.

Other well -known Japanese brands such as Nintendo and Hello Kitty Maker Sanrioare publicly traded and responsible to the shareholders.

Mr. Ishihara believes that this allows his company to maintain a clear focus on one thing.

“Pokémon is the only thing we do at Pokémon,” he says.

“So whatever profit we earn from Pokémon are reinveted in Pokémon.”

He adds that this means that the company should not ask questions about expanding or creating new characters from shareholders.

“Our answer will be,” We will fall apart when Pokemon is no longer popular. “

“I don't think they'll like it.”

At the end of 2023, longtime character Ash Ketchum and his best friend Picachu worshiped the animated Pokémon series.

The series continued without the beloved duet, but one of the most difficult questions “that Mr. Ishihara asks is what they are doing now.

“Although the television camera may not follow them, Ash's journey continues and his partner Picachu is right next to him.”

With the franchise, which will mark its 30th anniversary next year, rumors are already beginning to rotate for special plans for the case.

The remakes or re -display of Game Boy's original games are high in the lists of many fans' desires.

The Ishihara will not say much about it right now, but he wants to maintain a focus on “connecting true and virtual worlds.”

“If we continue to focus on our mission, Pokémon can probably continue until its 50th or 100th anniversary,” he says.

“But if we become smug and go with the stream, then Pokémon will go down.”

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