BELLEVUE, Wash. — Feb. 13, 2024 — In celebration of Pokémon Day 2024 and the upcoming U.S. premiere of “Pokémon Horizons: The Series,” The Pokémon Company International (TPCi), in collaboration with longstanding charitable partner The Toy Foundation™, has teamed up with New York’s iconic Empire State Building to illuminate its world-famous tower lights the evening of Feb. 27, 2024. The renowned landmark will light up New York’s skyline in blue and yellow, inspired by the highly recognizable Pokémon logo, between sunset and 2 a.m. EST.
In the spirit of giving back to the community on Pokémon Day, TPCi will donate $10,000 to New York-based charity The Toy Foundation™ to provide philanthropic support to children and families in need in New York and beyond. These efforts are part of TPCi’s long-term strategic partnership with The Toy Foundation™ in support of the organization’s critical mission to deliver the extraordinary benefits of play to children in need, which aligns with TPCi’s overarching goal of improving the lives of children and supporting social equity.
“Pokémon Day is about celebrating the Pokémon brand alongside its passionate fan community, and we couldn’t think of a better way to honor that than by making a positive impact on the lives of children and families in need,” said Raquel Daniels, chief diversity and social responsibility officer at TPCi. “As we look forward to the Empire State Building lighting, we are continuing our support of The Toy Foundation’s important work by furthering opportunities for children and families in New York to experience the comfort and joy of play.”
Pokémon Day 2024 marks the brand’s 28th anniversary since the first Pokémon video games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, launched in Japan on Feb. 27, 1996, kicking off a global phenomenon that catapulted Pokémon into one of the most popular and successful entertainment franchises in the world. Since then, the community of global Pokémon fans — known as Trainers — come together to celebrate their love for the brand on Pokémon Day, the pop-culture holiday observed annually on Feb. 27. This year’s Pokémon Day ushers in the beginning of an exciting new era for the brand for both longtime and new Trainers, with the highly anticipated animated series “Pokémon Horizons: The Series” premiering in the U.S. on March 7, 2024, exclusively on Netflix.
“As the first new mainline Pokémon animated series released in over 25 years, ‘Pokémon Horizons: The Series’ will ring in a new era for Pokémon, with unique characters and stories that will expand and evolve the franchise,” said Taito Okiura, vice president of marketing at TPCi. “As we quickly approach the highly anticipated U.S. premiere of the series, we invite Trainers to help us commemorate this major milestone on Pokémon Day with a special lighting at the iconic Empire State Building.”
Trainers can join these Pokémon Day festivities by tuning in to the Empire State Building on TikTok, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Facebook for a special appearance by Captain Pikachu, one of the stars of “Pokémon Horizons: The Series.” Captain Pikachu will explore the world-famous observatory before setting off on more adventures when the series launches on Netflix next month.
In addition, Trainers who visit the Empire State Building anytime on Feb. 27, 2024, can complete exclusive Timed Research tasks in Pokémon GO to earn rewards including Incense, Lure Modules and an encounter with Pikachu wearing a party hat. Additional themed PokéStops will be available near the Empire State Building, and Lure Modules used on PokéStops will have a higher chance of attracting the Symbol Pokémon, Unown.
Tickets to the renowned Empire State Building Observatory, recently voted the No. 1 attraction in the U.S. by TripAdvisor travelers for two consecutive years, can be purchased at esbnyc.com. To receive real-time information about the Empire State Building’s tower lights, Trainers can text CONNECT to 274-16.
For additional details on the upcoming U.S. premiere of “Pokémon Horizons: The Series,” Trainers can stay tuned to Netflix and Pokemon.com/Horizons.
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About Pokémon
The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit https://www.pokemon.com.
About The Toy Foundation
The Toy Foundation (TTF) is a 501 (c)(3) children’s charity and philanthropic arm of The Toy Association. The uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry for the benefit of all children in need, TTF works with small, medium, and large companies to create a world where every child experiences the comfort, joy, and extraordinary physical, emotional, and educational benefits of play through three program areas – The Toy Bank, Play Grants, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Pipeline Program. Thanks to the toy industry’s support, TTF has delivered play to more than 31 million children in need around the world.
About the Empire State Building
The Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building,” owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop culture. The Empire State Building Observatory Experience welcomes millions of visitors each year and was declared “America's Favorite Building” by the American Institute of Architects, the world's most popular travel destination by Uber, the #1 attraction in the US for the second year in a row in Tripadvisor’s 2023 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best, and the #1 New York City attraction in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel List.
Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building’s Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok.