In Sheffield, Card Empire is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Pokémon in collaboration with its card stores across the UK, including locations in Manchester, Stockport and Liverpool, joining the celebrations.
They are inviting individuals for in-store game play, whilst anticipating the release of a potential new Pokémon game.
Aaron, employee at Card Empire, expressed customers excitement for the event.
He said: “Everyone here is excited to play, hopefully there will be a new game.
“The vibe here that its maybe over celebrated, but certainly people are very happy about it.”
Released in 1996, Pokémon has become the highest grossing entertainment media franchise of all time, with an increasingly varied demographic.
Employee Aaron noticed the range of different ages coming into the shop.
“A lot of mums and dads come in and even they know what Pokémon is.
“Pokémon is so well known now, a lot of dads actually come in and collect cards with their kids,” he said.
“It is really wholesome.”
Pokémon is an evolving game, constantly introducing new experiences and suprises for players.
“There is so much news about Pokémon, it is a fast moving space,” Aaron said.
“There is no such thing as bad news with Pokémon, it is very rare that there is something that actually upsets people.”
After a successful 30 years of the $147 billion collecting economy, Pokémon continues to capture imaginations, and connect with generations of fans.