Pokémon Exec Denies Major Collector Release: ‘I Can Clearly Say That’s Not the Plan’

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Many Pokémon fans worry that the move towards digital collectibles means official Pokémon NFTs are coming. But Susumu Fukunaga, an executive at The Pokémon Company, has firmly stated that there are currently no plans for NFTs.

Recently, Fukunaga from The Pokémon Company attended ITT Bombay TechFest 2025, a yearly event celebrating advancements in science and technology. While there, he was asked whether the company might use NFTs for the Pokémon Trading Card Game, which already has a digital version available through the Pokémon TCG Pocket mobile app.

I was listening to the interview, and the interviewer brought up the idea of using NFTs with Pocket cards. They suggested it could make digital cards as valuable as the physical ones. However, Fukunaga was pretty clear – they have no plans to turn the digital cards into NFTs, and it’s not something they’re considering right now.

The Pokémon Company Exec Explains Why Franchise Won’t Enter NFT Market

NFTs, or unique digital identifiers, could make it possible to buy, sell, and trade digital cards as exclusive items using cryptocurrency. While this would change how digital card trading currently works, there are potential downsides. Some video game companies, like Ubisoft, already use similar systems for in-game items, and these items can sometimes sell for surprisingly high prices.

Fukunaga believes this system doesn’t work for digital collectibles, stating they’re widely accessible to anyone interested in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. He argues their prices are unlikely to increase significantly, and even if they did, there’s no practical way to trade or profit from them, so a price surge isn’t expected.

Fukunaga highlights a key reason why many people dislike NFTs: unlike physical trading cards, digital items can’t truly be exclusively owned. Plus, the value of digital cards isn’t based on traditional factors like how rare or old they are.

2026 promises to be a big year for Pokémon fans! The official Pokémon X (formerly Twitter) account recently announced that the franchise will be celebrating its 30th anniversary. The celebration marks 30 years since the release of the very first Pokémon games, Pokémon Red & Green, on February 27, 2026.

As a huge Pokémon fan, I’ve been so excited about all the recent collaborations – we’ve already seen awesome stuff with McDonald’s, LEGO, and Adidas! But with the big anniversary celebrations happening, everyone’s buzzing about what else The Pokémon Company might have up their sleeve. It definitely feels like another major announcement is just around the corner!

Currently, Fukunaga and his team are concentrating on growth, especially in India. He explained, “We want to improve the lives of as many people globally as possible, and India, with its large population, is a key focus.” They aim to make more Pokémon content available there, noting that much of it hasn’t been released in the country yet. Their priority is building a strong base to support launching all of their content in India, and that’s where their efforts are directed.

The latest expansion for the Pokémon Trading Card Game, called Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes, will be released in North America on January 30, 2026. This new set features over 290 cards, giving players plenty of options to build and improve their decks.

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2026-01-02 21:38