Pokémon turned 30 on 27 February 2026, thirty years after Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green launched in Japan. For fans marking the Pokémon 30th anniversary in Singapore, the biggest moments are still ahead: PokéXciting! takes over Changi Airport and Jewel on 7 to 8 November 2026 with free entry, Pokémon RUN 30 runs at The Kallang that same weekend, and more 30th Celebration TCG products are scheduled through to December (US dates).
We’re Gaming Otaku, a collector-run shop in Singapore. Here’s what’s confirmed so far, plus links to the 30th anniversary items we currently list.
Why 2026 is Pokémon’s 30th anniversary
Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green were first released in Japan on 27 February 1996, as the Pokémon Asia 30th Anniversary site notes. That date is now Pokémon Day, and Pokémon Day 2026 marked 30 years with a Pokémon Presents broadcast. The yearlong “What’s Your Favorite?” campaign began on 8 February with a Super Bowl LX spot.
The card game shares the milestone: the Japanese Pokémon Card Game 30th site lists the first Japanese expansion as a 1996 release.
PokéXciting! Singapore at Changi Airport and Jewel (7 to 8 November 2026)
PokéXciting! in Singapore runs on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026 across Changi Airport and Jewel. Admission is free and open to everyone. It’s one stop on a five-city Asia tour; the other dates are Kuala Lumpur (12 to 13 September 2026), Taipei (10 to 11 October 2026), Manila (23 to 24 January 2027) and Bangkok (13 to 14 February 2027), per the official Asia press release.
Highlights from the official page:
- A parade of all 27 first partner Pokémon at Jewel Forest Valley
- The PokéXciting! stage at Changi Airport Terminal 3
- PokéXciting! Pikachu in a blue Singapore variation
- A Pokémon GO collaboration, with PokéXciting! Pikachu scheduled to appear in the game
- POKÉGENIC photo spots and meet and greets
For card players, the Pokémon Experience Zone in the T3 Departure Hall offers complimentary TCG trial play and Nintendo Switch 2 games, and a TCG Quiz Rally across Jewel ends with a prize.
Special merchandise featuring the Singapore edition of PokéXciting! Pikachu will be available for purchase (check the official page for where and when; quantities are limited).
From 3 November 2026, a shopping promotion at Changi Airport and Jewel lets you buy or redeem Pokémon merchandise with a qualifying receipt, until 31 January 2027 at Jewel and 28 February 2027 at Changi. Details may change, so check the official page before you go.
Pokémon RUN 30: Singapore Edition (same weekend)
Pokémon RUN 30: Singapore Edition takes place on 7 to 8 November 2026, 7am to 2pm, at Stadium Roar, The Kallang. It’s a paid-registration fun run of about 4 km (see the official page). Non-runners can visit the Festival Zone, free from 8am to 2pm on both days, with a pop-up store, a Time Tunnel and a Pikachu parade.
The runner’s kit includes a Pokémon TCG booster pack, and every verified finisher receives one Pokémon RUN Pikachu promo card.
Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration, the anniversary card set
Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration launched on 16 September 2026 at participating retailers worldwide, the first expansion with a simultaneous global release. The Asia English Trainers website for Singapore lists the same date.
Highlights from the official set page:
- Every card is foil, across more than 150 cards
- Each booster pack contains one of 30 Pikachu rare cards, each drawn by a different illustrator according to the Japanese official site
- Two Futuristic rare cards, Mew ex and Mewtwo ex, illustrated by YOSHIROTTEN
- A 30-card Classic Collection of reprinted classic cards
Note for players: the Classic Collection reprints can’t be used in the current Standard format. For what we currently list, including the Simplified Chinese First Partner Set Vol. 1 covered below, see our Pokémon cards section.
30th anniversary products still to come
US release dates, from the pokemon.com product showcase:
| Product | Release date (US, per pokemon.com) |
|---|---|
| 30th Celebration Battle Deck: Espeon ex and Umbreon ex | 30 Oct 2026 |
| 30th Celebration Ditto Premium Collection | 6 Nov 2026 |
| 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection: Day and Night | 6 Nov 2026 |
| 30th Celebration Figure Collection: Mew and Mewtwo (figures by Kaiyodo) | 6 Nov 2026 |
| 30th Celebration Binder Collection | 4 Dec 2026 |
Dates in Singapore and Asia can differ; The Pokémon Company International says the exact launch date for certain products may vary across countries and regions. Separately, the next English expansion, Mega Evolution: Delta Reign, is dated 6 November 2026.
Simplified Chinese 30th anniversary products
The official Pokémon China 30th anniversary product page lists First Partner special illustration sets (Vol.1 on 20 March, Vol.2 on 19 June and Vol.3 on 7 August 2026), plus a 30th Celebration booster and a 30th Celebration collectible card binder, both released on 16 September 2026.
Vol.1 contains one random First Partner special illustration card (nine designs across the Kanto, Sinnoh and Alola starters), an acrylic magnetic display frame and a five-card booster pack from the set commonly called Brilliant Illusions in English.
We list the Pokémon 30th Anniversary First Partner Set Vol. 1 (Simplified Chinese) and the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Celebration Card Binder (Simplified Chinese); see each listing for current availability.
Games and other ways to celebrate
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen came to Nintendo Switch on 27 February 2026 as download-only titles, and Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves are scheduled for 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2. In Pokémon GO, a PokéXciting! cross-region stamp rally lets you spin PokéXciting! PokéStops for digital stamps in your Scrapbook.
FAQs
When is Pokémon’s 30th anniversary?
Pokémon’s 30th anniversary was 27 February 2026, thirty years after Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green launched in Japan on 27 February 1996. That date is marked every year as Pokémon Day, and anniversary events continue across Asia, with PokéXciting! in Singapore on 7 to 8 November 2026.
When and where is PokéXciting! in Singapore, and is it free?
PokéXciting! Singapore runs on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026 at Changi Airport and Jewel, and admission is free. Highlights include a parade of all 27 first partner Pokémon at Jewel Forest Valley and the PokéXciting! stage at Terminal 3. Details may change, so check the official page first.
Is the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration set available in Singapore?
Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration launched worldwide on 16 September 2026, and the Asia English Trainers website for Singapore lists that release date. Follow-up 30th Celebration products come later, and launch dates for some products vary by country and region. Browse our Pokémon cards section for what we currently list.
What is special about Pokémon 30th Celebration cards?
Every card is foil, and each booster pack contains one of 30 Pikachu rare cards, each drawn by a different illustrator. Two Futuristic rare cards, Mew ex and Mewtwo ex, are illustrated by YOSHIROTTEN, and the 30-card Classic Collection of reprints can’t be used in the current Standard format.
What 30th anniversary products are still coming?
On US dates from pokemon.com: the Espeon ex and Umbreon ex Battle Decks on 30 October 2026; the Ditto Premium Collection, Ultra-Premium Collection: Day and Night and Mew and Mewtwo Figure Collection on 6 November; and the Binder Collection on 4 December. Singapore and Asia dates may differ.
Do you get a promo card at Pokémon RUN 30 Singapore?
Yes. Every verified finisher of Pokémon RUN 30: Singapore Edition receives one Pokémon RUN Pikachu promo card, which is not transferable, and the runner’s kit includes a Pokémon TCG booster pack. The run is on 7 to 8 November 2026 at Stadium Roar, The Kallang.