Pokémon 30th anniversary events in KL
Malaysia may not have its own Pokémon Center – yet, keep those fingers tightly crossed – but we do have a lineup of Pokémon-themed events heading our way this year. To celebrate 30 years of Pokémon, a lineup of three events hosted by The Pokémon Company opens in Kuala Lumpur in the third quarter of the year.
Here’s the breakdown of what’s happening, so you can catch ‘em all:
What are the events for?
In case you haven’t heard, Pokémon comprises a series of fictional creatures, each with its own lore. Starting as a video game series for Game Boy in 1996, Pokémon has since expanded into a whole universe of its own under The Pokémon Company, with trading card games, merch, games, and TV anime just some of the things that fans love most about the media franchise.
With 30 years of history now under their belt, The Pokémon Company is set to launch a series of events and activities for fans in the Asia region, including three in Malaysia: a jaw-dropping drone show, a run event complete with a festival ground, and a Pokémon Center pop-up.
What to expect at the Pokémon events?
The events in Malaysia kick off in September; here’s all you need to know about them:
1. Pokémon Center Pop-Up
Image credit: The Pokémon Company
Malaysians can skip the pilgrimage to Singapore and Japan to visit a Pokémon Center. We’ll be getting our very own Pokémon Center, in pop-up form, in the heart of KL.
Opening at the upcoming Ombak KLCC, from 12th September until 31st December 2026, the Pokémon Center pop-up brings to Malaysians all the Pokémon goodies that we once could only get our hands on abroad.
The Pokémon Center in Fukuoka, Japan.
Image adapted from: Chrystal
Expect to shop for all sorts of official merch of Pikachu and other popular Pokémon species, including plush toys, keychains, trading cards, and themed clothing apparel.
The Pokémon pop-up store will also feature limited-edition 30th anniversary merch, along with gifts with purchases and activities like Pikachu meet-and-greet and trial Nintendo Switch 2 plays of Pokémon Pokopia and Pokémon Champions.
Venue: Ombak KLCC, KL
Dates: 12th September to 31st December
2. PokéXciting
Image credit: The Pokémon Company
Watching fireworks light up the sky from KLCC Park is not a new thing, during celebrations for the New Year and Merdeka. But for two nights in September, there’ll be a similarly spectacular showcase in the sky just for Pokémon called PokéXciting.
Pokémon drone show in Singapore.
Image credit: The Pokémon Company
The aptly-named exciting drone show will dazzle the night sky above KLCC Park, with drones forming 3D animations of Pokémon from every generation. Accompanying the free drone show is a live Pikachu stage show, featuring a lineup of performances from a special Pikachu with a turquoise-coloured hairdo for visitors to take photos of.
Venue: KLCC Park, KL
Dates: 12th & 13th September
3. Pokémon RUN 30
Pokémon Carnival Run 2015 in Taiwan.
Image credit: New Taipei Travel
Most running events usually entail a few hours of gruelling physical strain and a complimentary T-shirt and medal to cap off the fun run. But Pokémon RUN 30 adds even more fun to our usual running event, pairing a family-friendly 4km run with Pokémon RUN 30 runner’s kit and a festival zone with an exhibition and pop-up merch shop.
Image credit: The Pokémon Company
Taking place in November, the Pokémon-themed fun run will make you feel like a Pokémon Trainer. You start by choosing a partner Pokémon, and get to take part in themed challenges that take inspiration from the games, including Gym Battles, wild Pokémon encounters, and Pokédex Search Sheet tracking.
Themed checkpoints and interactive elements will also be dotted around the track course to complete the Pokémon experience.
Image adapted from: The Pokémon Company
If you’re not participating in the fun run, there will be a dedicated free-entry Festival Zone that features a Pokémon memory lane exhibition and a pop-up store with exclusive Pokémon RUN 30 merch. Both zones are open to both non-participants and participants of Pokémon RUN 30.
Dates: 21st & 22nd November
Celebrate 30 years of Pokémon at these anniversary events in KL
For many who grew up playing the games and watching the TV anime series, the lineup of events for Pokémon that’ll open in Malaysia is certainly exciting news. Now all you have to do is add the events to your calendar, so you can go, go, go to all of them.
Cover image adapted from: Chrystal, EventPop, and The Pokémon Company