Pokémon has enjoyed phenomenal success for almost 30 years. And with the recent launch of the mobile game Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, the enthusiasm continues. Point J looks at the history of this Japanese franchise which has conquered the world.
Born in Japan in 1996, the Pokémon franchise has become a global cultural phenomenon. Its creator, Satoshi Tajiri, was inspired by his childhood passion for collecting insects to imagine a universe populated by “pocket monsters” to capture.
“Pokémon comes at a time when video games are becoming the flagship medium that will occupy the vast majority of our leisure time,” explains David Javet, co-founder of the Game Lab at UNIL and EPFL and study researcher. Japanese.
The initial success was based on an ingenious marketing strategy: two versions of the game were released, forcing players to trade with each other to obtain all the Pokémon. The franchise then quickly spread across different media: video games, animated series, collectible cards, films, etc. This diversification contributed to its international success from the end of the 1990s.
By the time the Pokémon franchise arrives in our latitudes, it has already become a transmedia franchise
Today, Pokémon remains the most lucrative franchise in the world, ahead of Marvel or Star Wars. How to explain this longevity?
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Jessica Vial and the Point J team
