Pokémon History and Timeline

Pokémon came out on February 27, 1996, when Pocket Monsters Red and Green launched for the Game Boy in Japan. It reached North America on September 28, 1998, as Pokémon Red and Blue.

Since then the franchise has grown to 9 generations of games and 1,025 Pokémon species, alongside a trading card game, an animated series, and movies.

Last updated

Japan debut
February 27, 1996
North America debut
September 28, 1998
Created by
Satoshi Tajiri
First games
Pocket Monsters Red and Green
Generations so far
9 (as of August 2026)
Current games
Scarlet and Violet (Paldea)

Pokémon timeline: every generation

Each generation brings a new region and a new batch of Pokémon. North American release years are shown; the games launched in Japan slightly earlier. Species counts are current as of August 2026.

Every Pokémon generation with its region, flagship games, North American release year, number of new species, and the running total of the National Pokédex.
1KantoRed and Blue1998151151
2JohtoGold and Silver2000100251
3HoennRuby and Sapphire2003135386
4SinnohDiamond and Pearl2007107493
5UnovaBlack and White2011156649
6KalosX and Y201372721
7AlolaSun and Moon201688809
8GalarSword and Shield201996905
9PaldeaScarlet and Violet20221201025

  1. Generation 1: Kanto (Red and Blue)

    The generation that started it all. Pocket Monsters Red and Green launched in Japan and introduced the Kanto region and the original 151 Pokémon, with link-cable trading central from day one. They reached North America as Pokémon Red and Blue.

  2. Generation 2: Johto (Gold and Silver)

    Gold and Silver added 100 new Pokémon in the Johto region, introduced a real-time day and night cycle, and added two new types, Dark and Steel.

  3. Generation 3: Hoenn (Ruby and Sapphire)

    Ruby and Sapphire moved to the Game Boy Advance and the Hoenn region. This generation introduced Abilities and Natures, systems that still shape how every Pokémon plays.

  4. Generation 4: Sinnoh (Diamond and Pearl)

    Diamond and Pearl brought the Sinnoh region to the Nintendo DS and split moves into physical and special based on the move itself, a change competitive players still feel.

  5. Generation 5: Unova (Black and White)

    Black and White introduced the Unova region and the largest single batch of new Pokémon, 156 of them, more than any generation before or since.

  6. Generation 6: Kalos (X and Y)

    X and Y took the main series fully 3D for the first time in the Kalos region. They also added the Fairy type, the first new type since Generation 2, and introduced Mega Evolution.

  7. Generation 7: Alola (Sun and Moon)

    Sun and Moon brought the tropical Alola region, introduced regional forms that give older Pokémon new looks and types, and added the powerful one-time Z-Moves.

  8. Generation 8: Galar (Sword and Shield)

    Sword and Shield were the first main-series games on the Nintendo Switch, set in the Galar region, and introduced Dynamax, which lets a Pokémon grow giant in battle.

  9. Generation 9: Paldea (Scarlet and Violet)

    Scarlet and Violet launched on November 18, 2022, in the Paldea region, and were the first fully open-world main-series Pokémon games.

When did Pokémon come to America?

Pokémon reached North America on September 28, 1998, when Pokémon Red and Blue launched for the Game Boy, more than two years after the original Japanese release. The animated series and a wave of merchandise arrived around the same time.

The trading card game followed in North America in late 1998, and between the games, the show, and the cards, Pokémon became a nationwide phenomenon almost immediately.

When did the anime start?

The Pokémon animated series debuted in Japan on April 1, 1997, a little over a year after the first games. Following a young trainer and his Pokémon on a journey, the show introduced many people to the characters before they ever played a game, and it became one of the most recognizable parts of the franchise.

When did Pokémon cards come out?

The Pokémon Trading Card Game launched in Japan in October 1996, the same year as the first video games, and came to North America in late 1998. It lets players both battle with decks of cards and collect the cards themselves.

Those earliest sets are now decades old, and well-kept copies of the rarest cards have become highly collectible. That long history is a big part of why condition and rarity matter so much to card collectors today.

How has Pokémon changed over time?

The core idea has stayed the same, but the scale has grown enormously. The first games had 151 Pokémon; as of August 2026 there are 1,025 across 9 generations. The type system grew too, from 15 types in the original games to 18 today, after Dark and Steel were added in Generation 2 and Fairy in Generation 6.

The games have moved from the black-and-white Game Boy screen to full 3D and open worlds, and new features like Abilities, regional forms, and giant battle mechanics have been layered on. Through all of it, catching, training, battling, and trading have remained the heart of the series.

Frequently asked questions

When did Pokémon come out?

Pokémon came out on February 27, 1996, when Pocket Monsters Red and Green launched for the Game Boy in Japan. It reached North America on September 28, 1998, as Pokémon Red and Blue. The animated series premiered in Japan on April 1, 1997.

When was Pokémon created?

Pokémon was created over several years by Satoshi Tajiri and his studio Game Freak, and first released in 1996. Tajiri had pitched the concept, inspired by his childhood insect collecting, well before the games were finished. The franchise has released a new generation of games roughly every three years since.

When did the Pokémon anime start?

The Pokémon animated series debuted in Japan on April 1, 1997, about a year after the first games. It followed a young trainer and his Pokémon and helped turn the games into a worldwide phenomenon.

How many generations of Pokémon are there?

As of August 2026 there are 9 generations of Pokémon games, from the original Kanto region in 1996 to Paldea in Scarlet and Violet. Each generation introduces a new region and a new set of Pokémon, and together they total 1,025 species.

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