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Pokémon’s original US presentation reveals the secret of the franchise’s success
The Video Game History Foundation has published early E3 event recordings, including Nintendo's May 1998 US presentation that first introduced Pokémon to American audiences after it had been a Japan-only phenomenon since its 1996 launch. The clip, which shows the Pokémon segment between the 23 and 29-minute marks, sheds light on how Nintendo used the franchise's explosive Japanese success to build anticipation ahead of its American debut, a strategy that helped Pokémon go on to become a global phenomenon.
The presentation included a promotional video citing striking Japanese sales figures achieved within just two years of the franchise's creation, such as over 8 million Game Boy game copies sold, more than 300 million trading cards sold, and the anime becoming the country's top-rated cartoon. The same E3 1998 showcase also featured the reveal of the Game Boy Color, priced at $79.95, and an appearance by Shigeru Miyamoto introducing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which the public got to play for the first time.
In short
- Footage of Pokémon's 1998 US E3 debut has resurfaced online.
- Nintendo touted huge Japanese sales figures to build US hype.
- Same event also revealed Game Boy Color and Ocarina of Time.
Explained simply
Pokémon is a media franchise that began in Japan in 1996 with handheld video games for the Nintendo Game Boy. The games centred on capturing and training fictional creatures, and the concept rapidly expanded into trading cards, an animated television series, and merchandise to become a major cultural phenomenon.
By 1998, Pokémon had achieved striking success in Japan, with over 8 million Game Boy copies sold and hundreds of millions of trading cards in circulation. The franchise's anime series had also become the most-watched cartoon in Japan, establishing strong brand recognition within the country.
Nintendo brought Pokémon to the American market in 1998, introducing it at E3, the video gaming industry's largest annual event. The company's presentation highlighted the franchise's demonstrated success in Japan to build interest amongst American audiences and retailers encountering it for the first time.