Before the rise of The Game Awards as the premier video game awards show, E3 established itself as the industry’s central event. Held annually between 1995 and 2019, the fair served as a stage for developers to present their releases and attract both industry professionals and enthusiasts. Many gamers eagerly followed their favorite companies’ conferences, waiting for relevant announcements, new trailers or demonstrations of future titles.
Nintendo has been present at E3 since its first edition, and its panels were among the most anticipated. Fans anticipated news from series like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda. However, Pokémon did not feature in these initial showings, as in its early years, the game series was a phenomenon restricted to Japan. This situation changed in May 1998, when the franchise was announced and shown in the United States for the first time in an E3 presentation. The Video Game History Foundation has made recordings of previous E3 events publicly available, including the time when Nintendo announced the arrival of the Pokémon anime and games beyond Japanese territory.
- More than 8 million copies of Pokémon sold for Game Boy.
- More than 1 million CDs sold.
- More than 2 million Pokémon comic readers.
- The Pokémon anime series has become the number one cartoon on television.
- Pikachu has become the best-selling stuffed animal.
- More than 300 million Pokémon trading cards sold.
These numbers were extraordinary, considering that the franchise was only two years old. In just 27 months, the games became sales leaders, and Pokémon quickly established itself with an ongoing anime series and a collectible card game that today forms the basis of an industry worth billions. Without forgetting, of course, licensed products. Nintendo immediately realized the brand’s vast potential to transcend video games and knew how to capitalize on it.
In the United States, Pokémon achieved similar popularity, and eventually grew into a global phenomenon. While the exact level of prediction for this success remains uncertain, it is clear that Nintendo acted quickly to realize this vision. The initial two years of expansion in Japan established the fundamental foundation for the entire successful trajectory of the Pokémon franchise.
Nintendo’s complete conference at E3 1998, in addition to the segment dedicated to Pokémon, also offered other memorable moments for brand enthusiasts. At the event, before the reveal of the monster franchise, the company introduced the Game Boy Color. It was announced that the portable console would be in stores before Christmas, costing US$79.95, and stood out for its screen that now displayed a total of 56 colors.
Zelda aficionados had the opportunity to follow Shigeru Miyamoto on stage. He was invited to discuss the next release in the series, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. E3 in 1998 marked the game’s debut for the American public, becoming a promotional event of great importance.
It’s remarkable to revisit this presentation, especially in the current climate, where players eagerly await a new Ocarina of Time — this time, a remade version. The release date for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 has not yet been confirmed, beyond the expected arrival in 2026. There is, however, speculation that the launch could coincide with the original date of 1998.
Pokémon represents such an essential element in the childhood of countless individuals that it becomes natural to contemplate the franchise’s trajectory with a feeling of nostalgia. Regardless of whether you discovered the “Pocket Monsters” through international rumors in 1996, played the titles upon their arrival in the West, or became a fan more recently, Nintendo’s presentation at E3 in 1998 represents a valuable historical record, worthy of being remembered.
