Explore
Who’s who in the Pokémon business
Every company, line of business and product the research covers. Open one to see who owns it, who it works with, what it earns where that’s known, and what isn’t disclosed.
Start with The Pokémon Company, The Pokémon Company International (TPCi), Nintendo, Pokémon Trading Card Game , or pick anything below. Each profile shows its key numbers, who it connects to, and what isn’t disclosed.
The IP and its owners
The characters and name, and the three companies that own them
The IP Pokémon IP (characters, copyrights, trademarks) The characters, names and logos everything else is built on. Company Nintendo Listed Kyoto games company. Company Game Freak Private studio that created Pokémon and develops the mainline games. Company Creatures Inc. Private studio that develops the Pokémon Trading Card Game and 3D CG.
The Pokémon Company group
The company that runs it, and the companies it owns
Company The Pokémon Company Tokyo company that runs the Pokémon brand worldwide: it licenses the IP, publishes the card game, co-publishes the games and runs the Pokémon Center stores. Company The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) TPC's US-based subsidiary that runs Pokémon outside Asia: licensing, marketing, the card game, Pokémon Center online. Company TPCi Ireland Ltd Dublin subsidiary of TPCi, incorporated 2020. Company Pokémon Korea TPC's Korean subsidiary; licenses Pokémon in Korea and files accounts with DART. Company Pokémon Singapore (TPC Asia) Wholly owned TPC subsidiary for Southeast Asia, incorporated 2018. Company Pokémon Shanghai Wholly owned TPC subsidiary in mainland China. Company Pokémon Taiwan TPC group company in Taiwan. Company Millennium Print Group North Carolina card printer, a TPC printer since 2015, acquired by TPCi in 2022.
Lines of business
Where the money is made
Line of business Pokémon Trading Card Game The physical card game: TPC's largest line. Line of business Mainline Pokémon video games The core RPGs (Sword/Shield, Scarlet/Violet, Legends Z-A…), developed by Game Freak and sold by Nintendo outside Japan. Line of business Mobile games portfolio TPC's phone games taken together, and app-store economics. Line of business Pokémon anime (TV series) The TV series since 1997, made by OLM, aired by TV Tokyo, streamed on Netflix and others. Line of business Pokémon films Theatrical films (annual in Japan from 1998), including the live-action Detective Pikachu. Line of business Licensing and merchandise Royalties from licensed products (toys, apparel, food). Line of business Pokémon Center stores and cafés TPC's own shops (Japan, Asia, online in the West) plus Pokémon Cafés; London planned by 2029. Line of business PokéPark Kanto Permanent outdoor attraction at Yomiuriland, Tokyo (2026).
Products and events
The games, apps and events themselves
Product Pokémon TCG Pocket The card-collecting phone app launched Oct 2024, developed and operated by DeNA and Creatures with TPC. Product Pokémon TCG Live TPCi's free digital version of the card game (successor to PTCGO). Product Pokémon GO The location-based phone game launched 2016; developed by Niantic, now Scopely. Events Pokémon GO Fest and live events Ticketed city events for GO players (GO Fest, Safari Zone, GO Tour). Product Pokémon Pokopia 2026 Switch 2 spin-off; TPC publishes in Japan, Nintendo overseas; developed by Omega Force. Product Pokémon UNITE Team battle game developed by Tencent's TiMi; sold by TPC. Product Pokémon Masters EX Phone game sold by DeNA. Product Pokémon Sleep Sleep-tracking app published by TPC (developed by Select Button). Product Pokémon Champions Battle game released 2026 by TPC on Switch and phones. Product Pokémon Café ReMix Puzzle game sold by TPC; developed by Genius Sonority. Product Pokémon HOME Cloud storage service for Pokémon across games. Events Pokémon World Championships Annual Worlds for cards, video games, GO and UNITE; hosted with city partners (Yokohama 2023, Honolulu 2024, Anaheim, San Francisco 2026, Singapore 2027). Events Play! Pokémon organised play (Regionals, Internationals, Japan events) The competitive circuit below Worlds, plus Japanese events.
Partners
Developers, publishers, distributors, shops and licensees
Developers & publishers
Company Pokémon Card D Studio Small joint venture (DeNA 66.6%, TPC 33.4%) attached to TCG Pocket. Company DeNA Listed Tokyo company that co-develops and operates Pokémon TCG Pocket and Masters EX, under a revenue-share contract with TPC. Company Niantic San Francisco developer of Pokémon GO until it sold its games business to Scopely in May 2025. Company Scopely Games company (owned by Savvy Games Group) that bought Pokémon GO with Niantic's games business; closed 2025-05-29. Company Tencent (TiMi Studio) Develops Pokémon UNITE; © holder on the game. Company Koei Tecmo (Omega Force) Developer of Pokémon Pokopia under Game Freak's supervision. Company Genius Sonority Developer of Pokémon Café ReMix. Company Hasbro / Wizards of the Coast Published the Pokémon TCG in the West 1999–2003 under licence; today owns Magic: The Gathering, a rival card game.
Distributors & retail
Company Pokémon Center K.K. The company behind the Japanese Pokémon Center stores. Company Excell Brands US distributor of trading cards that TPCi agreed to buy in Feb 2026. Company Asmodee Group Listed Stockholm games group (spun out of Embracer) that distributes the Pokémon TCG in several European countries. Company Asmodee UK Ltd Asmodee's UK distributor (formerly Esdevium); files full accounts at Companies House. Company Embracer Group Former parent of Asmodee. Company Amigo German games company that distributes the Pokémon TCG in Germany and Austria. Group of companies Other European TCG distributors Carletto (Switzerland), Rebel (Poland, owned by Asmodee), Bergsala Enigma (Nordics), Gedis, Blackfire and others named on TPCi's distributor page. Company Happinet Japanese toy and entertainment wholesaler, listed in Tokyo. Company Smiths News UK wholesaler that also distributes Pokémon cards to newsagents. Company MJ Holding Large North American trading-card distributor. Company Southern Hobby US hobby distributor. Company GameStop US retailer whose collectibles sales lean heavily on trading cards; names Pokémon among its largest vendors. Company Target US mass retailer; a major Pokémon card outlet. Company Walmart US mass retailer. Company SLD Entertainment Runs the Pokémon Cafés under contract with TPC.
Licensees & media
Company TV Tokyo Japanese broadcaster that airs the anime and sits on its production committee; reports Pokémon royalty income in its anime segment. Company ShoPro (Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions) Produces the anime with TV Tokyo and acts as the Japan merchandising window for Pokémon goods. Company JR Kikaku Advertising firm named in the anime's © roster. Company OLM Animation studio that makes the TV anime and most films; 100% owned by Imagica. Company Imagica Group Listed parent of OLM. Company Toho Distributes the Pokémon films in Japan. Company 4Kids Entertainment Nintendo's Western licensing agent for Pokémon in the late 1990s and early 2000s; briefly owned 3% of TPC. Company Takara Tomy (incl. TOMY International) Japanese toy maker; Pokémon toy licensee in Japan (via ShoPro) and, through TOMY International, in the West until 2018. Company Jazwares Pokémon master toy licensee in the West since 2022. Company Wicked Cool Toys Western master toy licensee from 2018 (later part of Jazwares). Company Funko Listed US maker of collectibles; Pokémon is one of its licences. Company Mattel Makes Pokémon MEGA building sets under licence. Company JAKKS Pacific Pokémon costume licensee. Company Build-A-Bear Workshop Lists Pokémon as a key brand relationship. Company Crocs Pokémon collaboration licensee. Company McDonald's Happy Meal / Happy Set promotions with Pokémon cards. Company Bandai Namco Japanese toy and games group: a Pokémon licensee and also a card-game rival (One Piece, Dragon Ball). Company SPC Samlip Korean bakery behind Pokémon bread; pays royalties to Pokémon Korea. Group of companies Other licensees (Spin Master, Miniso, Unitedlabels, Hasbro era) Smaller or historical merchandise licensees named in filings.
Platforms
Company Netflix Streams Pokémon series and Concierge; publishes half-yearly hours-viewed data. Company Disney+ (Disney) Signed a global distribution agreement with TPCi in Aug 2026. Company eBay Online marketplace; trading cards drive its collectibles growth. Company TCGplayer US card marketplace (owned by eBay). Company Mercari Japanese resale marketplace. Group of companies PSA and other graders Card-grading companies (PSA, Beckett, CGC).
Other
Company Niantic Spatial The mapping business spun out of Niantic when the games went to Scopely. Company First Avenue Entertainment (Seattle Mariners) A Nintendo equity-method affiliate that sat beside TPC in Nintendo's affiliate block until 2016. Person Tsunekazu Ishihara President and CEO of TPC; director of TPCi.
Markets
Where fans spend
Market Collector and resale market Secondary prices for sealed product and singles, grading volumes and marketplace GMV. Market Japanese toy and card market Japan Toy Association and Media Create data on card games. Market Western toy and hobby market (Circana) Circana/NPD toy panels for the US and Europe, and hobby-games estimates. Market Card distribution channel (distributors, hobby stores, mass retail) Everything between the card publisher and the fan: distributor margins, hobby-store cost versus list price, allocation. Market Fans and players Audience reach figures: players, viewers, fans.
Comparable companies
Used as yardsticks, not part of Pokémon
Comparable company Sanrio Listed Japanese character company (Hello Kitty); the closest filed comparison for a licensing-led IP owner. Comparable company Konami (Yu-Gi-Oh!) Listed Japanese games company; Yu-Gi-Oh! Comparable company Bushiroad Japanese card-game publisher (Weiss Schwarz, Cardfight!! Comparable company Toei Animation Listed anime studio and IP owner (One Piece, Dragon Ball). Comparable company Disney Lorcana (Ravensburger) Disney's card game, published by Ravensburger. Comparable company Magic: The Gathering The original trading card game, owned by Hasbro's Wizards of the Coast.
Nothing here matches. Search all pages and figures →