Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary Highlights A Core Problem With The Series

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So, during the Super Bowl in 2026, Pokémon dropped some news about what they’re up to next. Honestly, it wasn’t what a lot of us were hoping for – no announcement about a brand new generation of games with new Pokémon and a new region. Instead, they talked about events and celebrations for the franchise’s 30th anniversary. But if you’ve been following Pokémon for a while, this isn’t totally surprising, considering where they’ve been heading lately.

Many Pokémon fans hoped to see announcements about the next generation of games (Gen 10) during the Super Bowl commercials or at events celebrating the series’ 30th anniversary. While that’s still a possibility in 2026, recent Pokémon marketing has focused on Pokémon: Legends Z-A and its downloadable content. The release of the Mega Dimensions expansion was the last major gaming news for the series, and fans are now eager to find out what Pokémon plans to do next.

Pokémon Announced Day Out & Night Out Events To Take Place Throughout 2026

In a new ad featuring several celebrities and their favorite Pokémon, The Pokémon Company announced “Pokémon Day Out” and “Pokémon Night Out.” These are planned live events intended to celebrate the history of the Pokémon series with fans. While details are still unknown, many believe these experiences will include live shows, unique partnerships, and various promotions throughout 2026. These could range from selling special Pokémon products to hosting large-scale events, much like how Pokémon GO successfully brought fans together in person.

Pokémon Day Out is a family-friendly event with activities for fans of all ages. It’s designed to bring Pokémon Trainers together through fun and interactive experiences. Unlike Day Out, Pokémon Night Out focuses on surprising and delighting longtime Pokémon fans with nostalgic elements, rather than trying to attract new players.

Details were scarce, but these events are planned for sometime next year. We can expect more information soon, but it seems “Day Out” and “Night Out” will likely cater to different audiences. For instance, a new Pokémon movie might be announced during “Day Out,” while the Gen 5 remakes could be revealed during “Night Out” to appeal to longtime fans who enjoyed those games originally.

Super Bowl Ad For New Pokemon Live Experiences Cost More Than Their Most Recent Game

While some Pokémon fans were thrilled to see any news about the Day Out or Night Out events, it’s worth considering how those announcements were made. Super Bowl commercials are famously expensive, with many companies competing for ad space during such a widely-watched event. In 2026, a 30-second Super Bowl ad cost between $8 and $10 million, meaning Pokémon’s approximately one-minute commercial likely cost between $16 and $20 million.

Recent leaks revealed the total cost to develop Pokémon: Legends Z-A was around $13 million. These reports also indicate the game has sold approximately 12.3 million copies since its release. While development costs for Pokémon games are usually kept private, this figure is surprising when compared to the estimated $21.8 million budget for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, the previous generation’s games.

Funds Being Spent On Events Rather Than Game Development Has Shown Through Game Quality

While the budgets for Scarlet and Violet were already considered small for major games, many fans are upset that a single minute of Super Bowl advertising cost more than the entire Legends: Z-A spin-off game. For a while now, players have criticized Nintendo for a perceived lack of effort in Pokémon games, often pointing to a lack of new features or content at launch. It’s becoming clear that these limited budgets are contributing to a decline in Pokémon game quality, and Legends: Z-A is a recent example of this issue.

A major issue with the Pokémon series currently is the focus of marketing and funding on things like live events and large commercials, rather than game development itself. This strategy allows The Pokémon Company to keep development costs low, and many fans believe Pokémon games will sell well regardless of their quality. Because of this, Nintendo has less motivation to invest heavily in innovative, fully-developed Pokémon games, and instead tends to stick with familiar formulas to minimize risk.

Many fans criticize the quality of recent Pokémon games, likely because developers don’t have enough resources to make each new game truly different. As the series approaches its 30th anniversary and a new generation, Nintendo’s focus on things like a Super Bowl ad and limited-time events feels repetitive. It seems Nintendo is investing more in marketing and events than in improving the core game development.

The success of Pokémon GO highlights a tricky situation: the focus often shifts to maintaining a constantly updated game rather than innovating the core series. While events like Night Out and Day Out seem like good ideas for Pokémon, Nintendo’s tendency to prioritize marketing over actual game development is a recurring issue. This could lead to the franchise losing momentum over time, even with its current successes.

Should Pokémon focus more of its resources on developing its newest games (Generation 10)? Share your thoughts in the comments or discuss it with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-02-10 21:14