The Pokémon Company (Japanese: 株式会社ポケモン, Hepburn: Kabushiki Gaisha Pokemon), int. TPC, is a Japanese corporation tasked with the brand management, production, publishing, marketing, and licensing of the Pokémon franchise. The franchise encompasses a variety of video game software, a trading card game, television series, films, manga, home entertainment products, merchandise, and other ventures. Established in April 1998 through a joint investment by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures Inc., it initially managed the Pokémon Center stores in Japan. In October 2000, the company expanded its scope to the entire franchise and rebranded to its current name.
Its headquarters are located in the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Pokémon Company International, its subsidiary outside Asia, formerly known as Pokémon USA, oversees the franchise's international operations.
History[]
Logo of The Pokémon Company
In 1998, Nintendo, Creatures, and Game Freak established The Pokémon Center Company to effectively manage the Pokémon Center stores in Japan. Following the success of Pokémon Gold and Silver, the brand received numerous merchandising proposals globally. Tsunekazu Ishihara of Creatures, responsible for approving licensed products, found the volume overwhelming for one person. Concurrently, aiming for the franchise's longevity, Ishihara sought to expand it with goals like sustaining the anime series and annual movie releases, necessitating a new organization for cohesive brand management.
Thus, The Pokémon Center Company evolved into The Pokémon Company, broadening its business scope and responsibilities. Satoru Iwata noted that establishing The Pokémon Company was among his initial projects at Nintendo.
The management of Pokémon Center stores remains a cornerstone of the company, with locations in Sapporo, Tohoku (Sendai), Tokyo, Skytree Town (Oshiage), Tokyo-Bay (Chiba), Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka.
In 2001, the U.S. branch, Pokémon USA, Inc., was founded to oversee licensing in the Americas. Nintendo Australia manages some Pokémon product licensing and marketing in Australia and New Zealand, as there is no Australian branch of The Pokémon Company.
Since 2001, Pokémon products typically bear the copyright "©Pokémon," alongside the original owners "©Nintendo," "©GAME FREAK inc.," and "©Creatures Inc.," who retain ownership of all Pokémon-related trademarks.
In October 2001, 4Kids Entertainment acquired a 3% stake in The Pokémon Company for an undisclosed amount. This stake was liquidated four years later for US$960,000.
In 2006, Pokémon Korea, Inc. was established to oversee the company's operations in South Korea, with its headquarters in Seoul.
In 2009, Pokémon USA and Pokémon UK merged into The Pokémon Company International, overseeing operations in America and Europe under Kenji Okubo's leadership. The U.S. office is located in Bellevue, Washington, at Lincoln Square, with plans to relocate to a new Bellevue high-rise in January 2025, occupying sixteen floors. The Pokémon Company International also has an office in London, UK, and some Australian operations are managed by Nintendo Australia.
Pokémon Center Co., Ltd. was founded in August 2011 to manage the Pokémon Center stores and brand in Japan. Its responsibilities include running the Pokémon Store and Pokémon Center outlets, maintaining Pokémon Stand vending machines, operating the Pokémon Center Online, and supervising the design and production of Japanese Pokémon Center merchandise. Yomiomi Uego serves as the president and CEO.
In April 2022, The Pokémon Company International acquired Millennium Print Group, a company that has been producing and packaging cards for the Pokémon Trading Card Game since 2015. The acquisition is not expected to significantly alter Millennium's daily operations, as it will continue to function as an independent entity. The Pokémon Company will provide investment and industry expertise to help Millennium expand its capabilities and infrastructure.
On June 1, 2022, Junichi Masuda, the creator of Pokémon and co-founder of Game Freak, transitioned from the company to take on a new role at The Pokémon Company. As the Chief Creative Fellow, he now plays a more integral role in overseeing the entire Pokémon franchise, beyond just the video games.
Subsidiaries[]
The Pokémon Company oversees a diverse group of subsidiaries responsible for a range of activities, from operations beyond Asia to overseeing the Pokémon Center retail outlets. These subsidiaries include Pokémon Shanghai, Pokémon Singapore Pte. Ltd., and others, each handling specific facets of the company's global operations.
- The Pokémon Company International, Inc. (oversees operations outside of Asia)
- Millennium Print Group (a manufacturing company of TPCi, producing Pokémon Trading Card Game cards)
- Mouthaan Boekdruk en Offset B.V. (a manufacturing company of MPG, producing Pokémon Trading Card Game cards)
- Millennium Print Group (a manufacturing company of TPCi, producing Pokémon Trading Card Game cards)
- Pokémon Korea, Inc. (oversees operations in South Korea)
- Pokémon Center Co., Ltd. (oversees management of the Pokémon Center retail outlets)
- Pokémon Singapore Pte. Ltd. (oversees operations in Singapore)
- Pokémon Shanghai (oversees operations in China)
- The Pokémon Company International Ireland Limited (overseea operations in the European Union)
- The Pokémon Company International Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V. (oversees operations in Latin America)
- Pokémon Taiwan Co., Ltd. (oversees operations in Taiwan)
