If you think the most exciting holiday in February is Valentine’s Day, then you are wrong. Feb. 27 — also known as Pokémon Day — is also right around the corner. The date celebrates the anniversary of Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green debuting in Japan back in 1996.
Every year, The Pokémon Co. arranges events, merch, and in-game events to celebrate this major event in pop culture history. This year, the company certainly didn’t disappoint! In addition to the previously announced, global Netflix premiere of Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back — Evolution on Feb. 27, the Pokémon Day festivities are already kicking off with a Google Search-based competition to determine the Pokémon of the year. Fans can cast a vote for their favorite Pokémon by searching “Pokemon vote” and then making a selection from the provided menu. You can vote for one species per day per Google account from now until Feb. 14 at 5:59 a.m. PT. The winning Pokémon will be announced on pokemon.com on Pokémon Day!
There are also in-game events and promotions set to celebrate this pop holiday. Starting on Feb. 25, Armored Mewtwo will appear in Pokémon Go Legendary raids. There will also be increased encounters with select Pokémon that are featured in Mewtwo Strikes Back. Fans may also encounter Pikachu, Eevee, and other popular species wearing party hats in the wild. Lastly, as an added bonus, players will be able to complete two special trades to celebrate Pokémon Day.
As for Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, The Pokémon Co. confirmed today that a new Mythical Pokémon exists in the game. The company will reveal more details about the species on Pokémon Day, but in the meantime, fans can learn more about the newly discovered Gigantamax Toxtricity here. There will also be new Max Raid battles and online competitions for Sword and Shield players.
While these are the official events from The Pokémon Co., other Pokémon partners — such as Pokémon Masters and Original Stitch — are set to reveal their own celebrations for the day. Fans can keep up with all Pokémon Day announcements by following @Pokemon on Twitter!
Photo: The Pokémon Co.
