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Pokémon's 30th Anniversary: Events in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia was picked as the very first stop on Pokémon's 30th anniversary tour of Asia, and the celebrations do not stop at one weekend. Between September and November 2026, Kuala Lumpur hosts a drone show, a global trading card launch, the country's first Pokémon Center pop-up, and a city-wide fun run, all tied to three decades of Pokémon. Whether you grew up with the original Game Boy titles or picked up the trading card game last year, there is a reason to head into the city these next few months.

Pokémon Welcomes Its 30th Anniversary

Pokémon Red and Green launched in Japan on 27 February 1996, and that date has been marked as Pokémon Day every year since. In 2026, it landed exactly 30 years after the original release, and The Pokémon Company chose to treat the entire year as the anniversary rather than a single day.

The celebration opened with a television spot during Super Bowl LX in February, carried under the hashtag #Pokemon30. The last celebration this size was Pokémon25 in 2021, though 2026 adds something that milestone did not have: a touring event series built specifically for fans across Asia.

4 Pokemon Events Happening in Kuala Lumpur

PokéXciting! Kicks Off Pokémon's Asia Tour at KLCC Park

pokemon events malaysia pokexciting

Source: PokéXciting

Malaysia opens that tour with PokéXciting!, a free two-day festival at KLCC Park on 12 and 13 September 2026. Kuala Lumpur goes first in a five-city schedule that continues to Taipei on 10 and 11 October, Singapore on 7 and 8 November, Manila in January 2027, and Bangkok in February 2027.

The weekend's centrepiece is Malaysia's first Pokémon-themed drone show, staged against the backdrop of the Petronas Twin Towers, followed by a night stage built around PokéXciting! Pikachu. Pikachu also debuts in a turquoise costume made specifically for Kuala Lumpur, sold as limited merchandise for the event and unlockable in Pokémon GO.

Trainers have two separate GO Stamp Rallies to work through at KLCC Park: a regional rally with five stamps inspired by Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu, and Vileplume, and a cross-region rally tied to five sister cities across Asia-Pacific. Completing either one awards an encounter with PokéXciting! Pikachu (Turquoise) carrying a Kuala Lumpur location background, and the regional rally stays active in the park for a month after the event.

Beyond the stamp rallies, the event runs Gigantamax Battles against Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise, two free Timed Research tracks, and bonuses like double XP for spinning PokéStops and half-price Stardust trades. A dedicated Pokémon GO booth also gives trainers a PokéXciting sticker and a free photobooth print for collecting at least three stamps.

  • Location: KLCC Park, Kuala Lumpur
  • Date: 12–13 September 2026
  • Time: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM daily, with the drone show at 9:00–9:10 PM on 12 September

Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Launches Worldwide

pokemon events malaysia pokemon tcg 30 celebrations

Source: tcg.pokemon

Four days after PokéXciting! wraps, the Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration expansion releases worldwide on 16 September 2026, the first Pokémon TCG set to launch simultaneously across every region.

Every card in the set carries a holofoil treatment, including the Basic Energy cards players usually treat as commons. Each booster pack guarantees one of 30 unique Pikachu illustrations, each drawn by a different artist, alongside four other foil cards.

The set also introduces a new Futuristic rare style by artist YOSHIROTTEN, debuting on cards like Mew and Mewtwo, plus a Classic Collection of holofoil reprints pulled from earlier eras of the franchise. For collectors in Malaysia, this is the release most directly tied to the anniversary itself.

  • Location: Worldwide
  • Date: 16 September 2026
  • Time: In stores from morning local time; digital packs unlock on Pokémon TCG Live at 1:00 AM MYT (1:00 PM ET, 15 September)

Malaysia's First Pokémon Center Pop-Up Opens at Ombak KLCC

pokemon events malaysia pokemon center popup store

Malaysia's first Nintendo and Pokémon Center pop-up stores open at Ombak KLCC on 12 September 2026 and run through 31 December, giving the anniversary celebration a permanent address for close to four months. The stores sit inside Ombak KLCC's wider anniversary programme, which fills the mall with Pokémon-themed displays and photo spots for the same stretch.

The opening days from 12 to 14 September run on a ticketed entry system to manage crowds. Entry tickets are handed out at the main entrance on Level G, with the queue opening at 6:00 AM and tickets distributed from 8:00 AM while supplies last, each one valid for a single person and non-transferable. Once ticketed, visitors head up to Level 3 for store admission at their assigned time. Collectors should also note that Pokémon TCG products will not be sold during this opening window, so anyone hoping to pick up cards will need to wait for a later restock.

  • Location: Ombak KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
  • Date: 12 September – 31 December 2026, with ticketed entry from 12–14 September
  • Time: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM daily, ticket queue opens 6:00 AM with distribution from 8:00 AM during 12–14 September

Pokémon RUN 30: Malaysia Edition

pokemon events malaysia pokemon run 30

Source: portal-pokemon

Pokémon RUN 30: Malaysia Edition takes over Plaza Petronas on 21 and 22 November 2026, a 4-kilometre run where each participant races alongside a partner Pokémon through gym battles and an obstacle course.

Runners fill a Pokédex search sheet along the route and evolve their partner Pokémon at the finish line. The post-run Festival Zone keeps things going with its own pop-up shopping area, organised by EC Pixels Asia.

Tickets range from RM198 for early bird entry without a plushie to RM297 for standard entry with one, and the plushie option comes with a hat-wearing Pikachu that clips onto a bag or backpack. Early bird sales opened in August, making this one of the last big anniversary dates left on Malaysia's calendar.

  • Location: Plaza Petronas, KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
  • Date: 21–22 November 2026
  • Time: Festival Zone timings to be announced, with more information released soon

More Pokémon Things to Do Beyond the Event Calendar

Between PokéXciting!, the TCG launch, the Pokémon Center pop-up, and Pokémon RUN 30, Malaysia's anniversary calendar runs from September through the end of November 2026. Missing one event does not mean missing the celebration.

If the 30th anniversary buzz has you looking for more Pokémon things to do outside the event dates, check out Luka for an immersive online Pokemon TCG experience where you can open, trade and sell card packs online!