Pokémon brings 30th anniversary tour to Manila with immersive fan experience

The Pokémon Company is bringing its 30th anniversary celebrations to the Philippines, announcing that its "PokéXciting!" touring fan event will arrive at SM Mall of Asia on 23-24 January 2027, as the brand continues to strengthen its presence across Asia through immersive, experience-led activations.

The free public event forms part of a five-city Asian tour commemorating three decades since the launch of the original Pokémon games on Nintendo's Game Boy in 1996. Manila joins Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Singapore and Bangkok as host cities.

Designed to appeal to both long-time fans and a new generation of Trainers, the two-day event will transform the venue into a Pokémon-themed destination featuring live entertainment, character interactions and exclusive merchandise.

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Among the headline attractions is the "High-Voltage Night Stage", featuring performances by the event-exclusive "PokéXciting! Pikachu", alongside a large-scale Pokémon parade showcasing multiple fan-favourite characters. Visitors will also have opportunities to meet Pokémon characters, participate in photo sessions and purchase Manila-exclusive merchandise featuring a red-costumed version of "PokéXciting! Pikachu", a city-specific design created for the Philippine stop.

The celebration will also extend into the digital world through a collaboration with Pokémon GO, where "PokéXciting! Pikachu" is scheduled to make an in-game appearance during the campaign.

The Manila event follows another major milestone for the franchise in the Philippines. During Pokémon's 30th Anniversary Press Conference in Manila on 7 July, The Pokémon Company confirmed that a Pokémon pop-up store will open at SM Mall of Asia from October 2026 to January 2027, extending the anniversary celebrations beyond the two-day event.

According to the company, the temporary retail space will stock Pokémon Centre Original merchandise, trading cards, plush toys, limited-edition collectibles and exclusive 30th anniversary products. The pop-up will also feature Pokémon Trading Card Game tutorial sessions and a gaming experience zone, giving fans additional opportunities to engage with the brand ahead of the January festivities.

The Philippines stop is part of a broader regional strategy that leverages live experiences to deepen fan engagement as Pokémon marks its 30th anniversary. The Asia tour begins in Kuala Lumpur in September, before travelling to Taipei, Singapore, Manila and concluding in Bangkok in February 2027.

The Pokémon franchise has grown from the original 151 Pokémon introduced in 1996 to more than 1,000 characters spanning video games, animation, films, trading cards and the globally successful augmented reality title Pokémon GO.

Step into PR Asia Philippines 2026 on 9 September in Manila, where communications leaders will unpack the realities of trust, nationalism, misinformation, and polarisation shaping the country’s evolving narrative landscape.

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