Pokemon Gets Denied Entry To Toy Hall Of Fame

As someone who grew up in the ’90s, I can confidently say that Pokemon was not just a game or a toy, it was a cultural phenomenon that transcended generations. From collecting trading cards to playing video games and watching the animated series, Pokemon was an integral part of my childhood.


Approximately three decades back, Pokemon first emerged in Japan and ignited a successful video game empire that persists till today. The craze around Pokemon has expanded over the years to encompass numerous anime series, movies, card games, toys, and other merchandise. This year, Pokemon was among the 12 nominees for induction into the Toy Hall of Fame, but unfortunately, Pikachu and his companions won’t be joining the esteemed collection until at least 2025, as they were not chosen this time around.

For 2024, the National Toy Hall of Fame has not included Pokemon among its inductees. However, it’s worth noting that Pokemon shares this distinction with other notable toys such as Choose Your Own Adventure books, remote-controlled vehicles, Hess Toy Trucks, trampolines, Apples to Apples, and Sequence. They too were not chosen for the honor this year.

This year, Hasbro emerged victorious as two of their ’80s brands – Transformers and My Little Pony – were honored with a place in the Toy Hall of Fame. Transformers action figures first hit shelves in 1984, and the franchise has managed to stay popular for nearly four decades since then. Initially introduced as My Pretty Pony in 1981, My Little Pony eventually gained momentum and became an iconic toy line on its own. Following a brief hiatus, it was revitalized in 2003 with great success. Lastly, the card game Phase 10 joined them as the fourth inductee for this year’s Toy Hall of Fame class.

Despite not securing a victory this year, the remarkable appeal of Pokemon continues to amaze. On the Nintendo Switch platform alone, the Pokemon franchise has managed an astounding 99 million unit sales. Within just a week, the mobile game Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket surpassed 30 million downloads on both the App Store and Google Play. This holiday season, a fresh version of Pokemon Monopoly is set to hit the market, while even Pokemon Go remains vibrant nearly a decade following its initial release.

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2024-11-13 16:39