2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Pokémon, and there’s no better time to announce or roll out celebratory plans. For theme park enthusiasts, the billion-dollar franchise will join Nintendo, Harry Potter, and other properties at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka as part of its global expansion efforts, before making its U.S. debut in Orlando, Florida, at a later date.
＼速報／
— ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン公式 (@USJ_Official) January 22, 2026
✨”ポケモン新体験" 誕生へ✨
世界展開プロジェクトが始動！
五感を刺激する超リアル体験を基盤に、ポケモンの世界をかつてないほどインタラクティブで豊かな方法で実現します。
📍ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパンで世界初公開に向け準備中。
…進化する！ pic.twitter.com/Qkp0nmqYlh
Project details remain under wraps, except for the description of an “unprecedentedly interactive experience” in an announcement post on X/Twitter, which reads, “Based on a hyper-realistic experience that simulates all five senses, it will bring the Pokémon world to life in an unprecedentedly interactive and rich way.”
It’s unclear when the attraction will open, but Universal Studios Japan is hardly a stranger to the adorable critters – it has hosted the Pokémon NO LIMIT! Parade and Halloween show since October 2021. The difference here is that this marks the first permanent addition to the theme park.
The Pokémon and Universal Studios collaboration joins other anniversary plans, including official LEGO sets (albeit priced at a hefty US$600) and Secretlab chairs themed after Pikachu, Eevee, and Gengar. When February rolls around, PokéPark Kanto will take fans through two zones: Pokémon Forest, a 500-metre trail featuring statues of the creatures across the series, and Sedge Town, comprising shops, performance spaces, a Pokémon Centre, a Poké Mart, a Gym, and more.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
