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Pokémon is kicking off its global 30th anniversary celebrations, and Malaysia is where it all begins. At a press conference held at KLCC, we had the chance to hear from Susumu Fukunaga, Corporate Officer at The Pokémon Company, and Datuk Sr Mohd. Salem Kailany, Group CEO of KLCC Sdn Bhd, to talk about what fans can expect from this milestone event and what it could mean for Pokémon’s future in the country.
A Global Celebration Starting in KL
It might surprise some fans to learn that Kuala Lumpur was chosen as the first stop for Pokémon’s worldwide 30th anniversary activities, ahead of cities like Taipei, Manila, and Bangkok. According to Fukunaga, there were both practical and strategic reasons behind the decision. “After aligning schedules across all the various countries, Kuala Lumpur happened to be the first location available,” he said. But beyond scheduling, the city itself played a big part. The Twin Towers offer a recognizable landmark, and KLCC Park has the space to host a wide range of activities. Fukunaga also credited the KLCC team directly.
“We are also deeply grateful to the KLCC team for their incredible cooperation and support. Their willingness to work with us on everything we wanted to do made the entire process smooth, and without that, none of this would have come together in time.”
Two of the headline activities are a Pokémon Run and a Pokémon Center pop-up store, both set to take place at KLCC. On the run, details like pricing, the race course, and registration dates have not been finalized yet.
“The details have not been confirmed yet, but once they are, we will release them as soon as possible. Please look forward to the announcement,” Fukunaga said.
The pop-up store is a chance for Malaysian fans to experience a Pokémon Center, something that has only been available in select countries so far. As for whether it could become a permanent fixture, Fukunaga left the door open. “We hope to bring the Pokémon Center pop-up experience to everyone in Malaysia and that everyone will enjoy it. If KLCC expresses their wish for it to become a permanent fixture, it will be up for consideration in the future,” he said. Datuk Salem added that fan turnout and engagement will play a direct role in making that case.
“We need to prove to them that Malaysians want them here, by visiting the pop-up, spending, and joining the activities, and that will encourage them to stay.”
The question of a permanent Pokémon Center in Malaysia naturally led to some fun speculation, including which Pokémon should represent the country if one were ever to open. Singapore’s Pokémon Center features Lapras as its mascot. When asked the same question for Malaysia, Fukunaga simply said, “I will pass this wish along to the Pokémon Center team, though I cannot guarantee it will happen.”
Datuk Salem noted that during the presentation, an image of the Twin Towers featuring a Super Mario character was shown, which he took as a sign that the Pokémon design team is already paying attention to Kuala Lumpur. “Whether a special character will be created for KL, I’ll leave that to them, but on our end, we will continue to rally for the Pokémon Center to have a lasting presence in Malaysia beyond just the pop-up period,” he said.
Keeping Pokémon Fresh After 30 Years
With three decades behind it, one of the bigger questions for any franchise is how it stays relevant without leaving longtime fans behind. Fukunaga pointed to the variety of content as the key. “Just as Pokémon Pokopia challenged players with a gameplay style very different from a traditional RPG, we intend to push out many different kinds of content for Pokémon, to appeal not just to existing fans, but to a broader audience as well,” he said.
Datuk Salem drew a parallel between Pokémon and KLCC itself, both of which have been around for roughly 30 years. “KLCC has been around for about 30 years, just like Pokémon. We continuously need to refresh ourselves and stay relevant, maintaining connections across all facets of the community, whether younger or older generations,” he said. He pointed to the recent KL World Cup at KLCC Park as an example, where families, young visitors, older guests, and fitness enthusiasts all came together.
“Our goal is for KLCC to remain a place where everyone can find something relevant to them, truly inclusive for all.”
For fans of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the press conference touched on the Premier Ball League that has already been announced for Malaysia. When asked whether more TCG events are on the way, particularly given that Malaysia is considered one of the largest TCG markets in the world, Fukunaga acknowledged the strong interest.
“Today’s presentation was mainly focused on our 30th anniversary celebration activities. However, we fully understand the strong interest in TCG events, and we will be sharing more information in due course. Please keep an eye on our official homepage, details will be delivered accordingly,” he said.
What This Means Going Forward
The Pokémon 30th anniversary activities in Malaysia are just getting started, and while many details are still being finalized, the enthusiasm from both The Pokémon Company and KLCC is clear. Whether it leads to a permanent Pokémon Center, more TCG events, or just a memorable celebration for fans who grew up with the franchise, Kuala Lumpur is making its case as a serious destination for Pokémon in Southeast Asia.
