The first ever Pokémon games were released in 1996 in Japan with Pokémon Red and Green (replaced by Blue for global release). It took the world by storm and has become a global phenomenon, bringing fans together to build tight communities.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the beloved franchise. Pokémon announced the next generation of game called Pokémon Winds and Waves. The trailer takes place in a tropical setting which features a pair of Pikachu in vacation clothing, the new starter trio, and updated graphics with the Switch 2.
“On one game Pokémon Sword, I spent around 1200 hours, pretty much hatching eggs for one shiny Pokémon, after watching the trailer the new water animations looks really nice and I’m really excited for that,” said Hayden Johnson, producer at Fanshawe Fuel.
Pikachu in vacation clothing (Source: Pokémon Wind and Waves trailer)
Players Cards and Collectibles will be celebrating Pokémon day by hosting a special tournament. The Gym Leader Challenge tournament will feature 32 competitors and each will receive special promotion items for participating. Players on 659 Southdale Rd, host weekly tournaments from various different trading card games, with Pokémon happening each Friday.
Tournament area at Players (Source: Joshua Chen/XFM)
“My favourite part of the Pokémon community is probably just how much fun everyone is, it’s just always good vibes. We just started these bulk bins that are 25 cents a card, and we see people sit down for hours picking their favourite cards so its fun talking to them,” said Nolan Caldwell, manager and Pokémon tournament organizer at Players.
Alongside the new games, Pokémon revealed new collectibles, and teased new trading cards coming sometime in 2026.
