KelsiDavis

Polaroid’s instant cameras are the latest thing getting the Pokémon makeover, as they announce three new designs themed after Pikachu, Sylveon, and a Poké Ball. The camera company is also debuting plenty of camera accessories to go with them, including their iconic framed instant film featuring new Pokémon designs. Preorders for the new cameras open on August 25th on Polaroid’s website and the US, UK, and Canada Pokémon Centers. This collab will release worldwide on October 5th.

Fans can add Krispy Kreme to the ever-growing list of collabs celebrating Pokémon’s 30th anniversary this year, as the doughnut and coffee chain debuts six new themed doughnuts. The limited time collab starts August 18th, though customers can preorder the Pokémon doughnuts now at Krispy Kreme’s website. The themed doughnuts will be available at Krispy Kreme locations across the US, plus at their usual retail partners like Walmart, Kroger, and Publix.

A former Director of Engineering at The Pokémon Company International’s (TPCi) Bellevue location in Washington State has been charged with numerous crimes regarding voyeurism and possession of child sex abuse material. Ben Tsai, 45, worked for TPCi from 2017 to 2026 and is accused of hiding cameras in the office’s bathrooms, and at other nearby businesses. One unnamed victim is now bringing a class action lawsuit against TPCi for their alleged negligence regarding Tsai’s alleged crimes.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) has announced a new collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) for World Space Week, which will run from October 4th to October 10th this year. Details for exactly what the collab will entail have not yet been revealed, but both organizations express a shared “desire to build bridges between space, science and storytelling, and to spark excitement among young audiences and fans around the world.”

The Pokémon Company International has been pairing up with tons of fashion companies recently for merch in celebration of the franchise’s 30th anniversary. Now, Adidas has announced a wide range of Pokémon sneakers for adults, and one for kids, coming in September. There are more than a dozen different models coming in the drop, leaning hard into the Pokémon theme with wings, ears, eyes, cool textured materials, and even fur on some sneakers.

The Pokémon Center is continuing to roll out merch in its Timeless Adventures series, this time debuting some goods inspired by the Kalos region. The store is also debuting a new mini collection of four squeezable plushes with flapping fins. Both these additions will arrive to the Pokémon Center Online on August 5th, and the flapping fin plushes will arrive to Pokémon Centers in Japan on August 8th.

Japanese coffee brand BOSS has announced a second round of special-edition Pokémon coffees and merchandise, after launching the first part of their 30th anniversary collab last April. The new drop features even more BOSS products getting the Pokémon makeover, plus denim jackets, t-shirts, and a giant Clodsire floor cushion. Merch is available via lottery, with customers gaining entries to win by purchasing the Pokémon coffees. The new can designs will arrive on September 1st, only available for customers in Japan.

Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo, the largest Pokémon Center store in Japan, and its adjoining Pokémon Sweets café will be reopening in August after its closure in March of this year. The stores have been closed following the tragic murder of a Pokémon Center employee at the hands of her stalker. The Pokémon Company states the store will reopen with stricter safety measures, including entry restrictions.

On theme with some of Pokémon’s latest collabs, the Pokémon Center websites serving the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are debuting a new baseball-themed line of apparel. The collection includes baseball jerseys, varsity jackets, and baseball caps rooting for four different Pokémon - Venusaur, Blastoise, Charizard, or Pikachu. Baseball items are available online now, but are currently absent from the Pokémon Centers UK and Germany.

The Pokémon Center has revealed this year’s exclusive plushes for the 2026 Pokémon World Championships and its surrounding event, PokémonXP. There are four plushes this year, all in themed costumes, including two different Pikachu. These plushes will only be available at the pop-up Pokémon Center store within the event, which takes place between August 28th and 30th in San Francisco, California.

Squishmallows, which is a frequent collaborator with the Pokémon brand, has announced their newest duo of plushes coming to the Pokémon lineup: Eeveelutions Umbreon and Espeon. Meanwhile, the Pokémon Center Online, which only serves customers in Japan, has four new Mega Evolution plushes available today. The new plushes are all Mega Evolutions which debuted in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, including Mega Starmie and Mega Greninja.

ColourPop is once again collaborating with Pokémon for a collection of makeup products and accessories, this time themed after Eevee and its evolutions. The glittery collection is set to include lip products, an eye shadow palette, and even an Eevee headband among other cosmetics. These Eeveelution items are scheduled to launch July 16th to ColourPop’s website, and will arrive in-store at Ulta locations on August 2nd.

Pokémon Korea has officially announced today that a Pokémon: The Orchestra performance will be coming sometime in November of this year in celebration of the Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary. Details regarding the program and its venue have not been announced, though Pokémon Korea has previously celebrated with Pokémon: The Orchestra for performances of music from Pokémon video games.

The Pokémon Local Acts program has unveiled six new Poké Lid designs today, which will be the first ever to be installed in Nagano Prefecture in Japan. Poké Lids are donations from The Pokémon Company to prefectures, and along with events and merchandise hosted by Pokémon Local Acts, are intended to encourage tourism to various areas of Japan.

The Pokémon Company International and LEGO are further expanding their partnership with new collector sets, which are available for preorder now at the Pokémon Center websites serving the US, UK, and Canada, and at LEGO’s website. The new drop includes four collector sets - Rayquaza, Arcanine, Munchlax, and a Poké Ball that opens to reveal a minifigure scene. Some of these sets contain the very first Pokémon minifigures by LEGO. There will also be a play set featuring Red’s minifigure scaled up and buildable. These items are expected to sell out quickly.

The Pokémon Company has been doing plenty of collaboration with professional sports this year, and have announced yet another partnership, this time with Japan’s top pro football association. Each of the 60 clubs in the J.League have received their very own Pokémon mascot, along with an overall “Evolution!” theme for the upcoming season. The collab is currently offering free souvenir merchandise to one million attendees of upcoming matches, plus even more merch and events to be announced.

The Pokémon Company International and LEGO are expanding their collaboration, bringing not only new Pokémon LEGO sets to customers this coming August 1st, but also setting up a Pokémon Play Zone in the LEGOLAND Florida Resort as part of their LEGO Festival. The festival runs from July 20th until August 16th, and features interactive Pokémon activities, previews of the upcoming Pokémon SMART Brick sets, and plenty of other experiences.

At about 4:30 PM on June 28th, a father-and-son team of vendors at the Woodbridge Card Show in Woodbridge, New Jersey were packing up their merchandise when approached by two men. The assailants physically assaulted the younger man and threatened both at gunpoint, eventually making off with $150,000 USD worth of Pokémon cards and $12,000 USD cash. The suspects fled, and Woodbridge police are currently investigating the incident.

The Pokémon Local Acts program has announced five new Poké Lid designs today, which will be installed throughout the summer in Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan. Poké Lids are donations from The Pokémon Company to prefectures, and along with events and merchandise hosted by Pokémon Local Acts, are intended to encourage tourism to various areas of Japan.

The Pokémon Company is celebrating two anniversaries this year; the 30th anniversary of Pokémon Red and Green, and the 10th anniversary of Pokémon GO. Pokémon Centers in Japan are rolling out merchandise collections in celebration of both, starting with a new addition to the Timeless Adventure series, this time inspired by the Unova region. The newest Timeless Adventure set will arrive at Pokémon Centers in Japan on July 4th, and Pokémon GO’s 10th anniversary merch will arrive at Pokémon Centers in Japan on July 11th.