McDonald's Joins Pokémon's List of 30th Anniversary Collaborations

Satoshi Tajiri's Pokémon first launched on Feb. 27, 1996. In 2026, the beloved franchise will celebrate its 30th anniversary. Although Nintendo is sure to commemorate the occasion with individual efforts, the Japanese institution has tapped a cast of collaborators to help it celebrate 30 years of Pocket Monsters.

Today, McDonald's announced a special edition of its Happy Meal® for Pokémon's 30th anniversary. As with past link-ups between both parties, all-new trading cards will be included with the Happy Meal®. Limited versions of Charizard, Dragonite, Rayquaza, and Roaring Moon cards will be the focus of the project.

McDonald's announcement joins a growing list of highly-anticipated collabs for the milestone celebration—including an adidas Originals apparel and footwear collection; new Uniqlo UT capsule; and LEGO® block sets.

PUMA and Crocs have also been collaborators for the Nintendo property, launching product throughout 2025. It's possible they join the party in '26.

For more news, check out House of Heat°'s dedicated Jordan Release Dates Calendar.