Gotta catch 'em all: Why Pokémon is booming again

You might remember swapping Pokémon cards in the playground or racing home to watch the television series, but the phenomenon has grown into something much bigger.

The Japanese franchise is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, with longtime fans rediscovering their childhood favourite and a new generation joining the craze.

From rare cards worth thousands of pounds to international gaming competitions, Pokémon is bringing together enthusiasts of all ages.

And as the franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary, fans say the excitement surrounding it shows little sign of slowing down.

First launched in Japan in 1996, Pokémon began as a video game series in which players collect and battle fictional creatures.

It has since expanded into trading cards, television shows, films and mobile games, becoming one of the world's biggest entertainment franchises.

Pokémon was the world's biggest toy property in 2025 and the fastest-growing in Europe, according to industry figures.

In Belfast, three friends who once met in coffee shops to trade Pokémon cards have turned their shared passion into a business that is now benefiting from the franchise's growing resurgence in popularity.

Director Daniel Phillips said: "Absolutely, there has been a growth - Pokémon has had a massive boom."

The business also runs a card trading event at Belfast's Waterfront Hall, where attendance has risen considerably.

"I mean, for our first event, we had about 600 attendees. By our third event, we were up to 1,700 attendees."

Daniel said the next show in November is set to attract more than 2,500 people, with traders travelling from across the UK.

The shop is also attracting customers from a wide range of backgrounds.

"We have solicitors that come in on their lunch breaks and police officers that come in after their shift," he said.

Former world champion boxer Carl Frampton, DJ Ben Nicky and actor Dexter Sol Ansell were among the famous faces to have visited the shop.

While some customers collect their favourite characters, others are prepared to spend thousands of pounds on rare cards, including a Pikachu card which was sold for about £16,000.

For co-owner Stephen Mitchell, the resurgence has helped change attitudes towards a hobby he once felt embarrassed to admit enjoying.

Having grown up watching Pokémon in the 1990s, he rediscovered his interest in collecting as an adult.

"I just thought it was a wee bit too nerdy," he said.

"I mean, I'm a father-of-two, collecting pokémon cards, hitting 30. It was sort of like, oh, 'I don't know if I'm a bit too old for this at this stage'."

But meeting other collectors helped him realise he was far from alone.

"So I was hidden in the corner until I found friends who were into the same thing as I was, which is awesome."

Mitchell said Pokémon now appeals to people of all ages, with some customers visiting the shop in their 70s and 80s.

For Coleraine-based content creator and live streamer Matthew Duguid, nostalgia is a major reason behind Pokémon's renewed popularity.

He said adults who grew up with the franchise now have "their own money to spend" on a childhood favourite.

But the appeal is not limited to those who remember Pokémon from the 1990s.

"Pokémon has managed to keep introducing itself to new audiences without losing what made it popular in the first place."

Matthew believes social media has played a "massive role" in the comeback, helping introduce the franchise to younger audiences and bringing collectors together.

And while rare cards can sell for thousands of pounds, he said collecting is not always about the money.

"For some people, it's about completing a set or getting their favourite Pokémon, rather than just playing the game."

Despite the excitement surrounding valuable cards, Matthew believes Pokémon is more than a passing trend: "It's been around for 30 years and has built up generations of fans."

For competitive Pokémon player Mattie Morgan, a childhood hobby has taken him around the world.

He began competing at 13 after winning a video game tournament in Dublin, and has since competed in Brazil, the United States and across Europe.

One of his biggest achievements was finishing in the top eight at the Pokémon World Championships in Japan, which he described as "really, really cool".

But Mattie said the competitive scene has also grown closer to home.

"When I started, you would have to go to Dublin to play anything - but now there's tournaments all around the country."

He believes the release of Pokémon GO in 2016 helped attract new players, saying it "made everyone play Pokemon, even people that had never played it".

One goal has remained a priority for Mattie: "When I was about like 12 years old, it was always my dream to become the world champion".