This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon series, and a new star-studded Super Bowl ad featuring a duet with Jigglypuff and Lady Gaga has kicked off the celebrations. The commercial featured other celebrities, like comedian Trevor Noah, Blackpink singer Jisoo, Never Have I Ever actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and more discussing their favorite Pokémon.
Pokémon Day — the franchise’s official birthday — is just around the corner on Feb. 27, and fans have been speculating on what sort of announcements it will bring. 2026 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for the fandom, with Pokémon Lego sets in store later this month, and life-sim Pokémon Pokopia arriving in March. Other announcements, like a release date for Pokémon Champions, are almost certainly on the horizon, but with such a milestone birthday, it’s likely the company has some special surprises up its sleeve.
The commercial serves as the launch of a new yearlong “What’s Your Favorite?” campaign. After a lovely duet between Lady Gaga and Jigglypuff (the singer’s favorite), the commercial’s stars all shared their own favorite Pokémon, which were as follows:
- Trevor Noah – Psyduck
- Jisoo – Eevee
- Lamine Yamal – Zygarde
- Charles Leclerc – Arcanine
- Young Miko – Gengar
- Maitreyi Ramakrishnan – Luxray
It’s said that every Pokémon is someone’s favorite, and that’s just what the event is all about. “It’s a question that sparks passionate discussion and reminds fans that no matter who they are, there is a Pokémon for them,” said Kenji Okubo, president of The Pokémon Company International, in a press release. Okubo stated that 2026 would be “a year packed full of fan-focused celebrations,” beginning with a new Pokémon Go feature. As of Feb. 8, Pokémon Go players can add their favorite Pokémon into photos, and are encouraged to share them online with the hashtag #Pokemon30.
Day Out and Night Out events are also in the works, where, according to The Pokémon Company, “Trainers will be able to enjoy various fan-focused experiences that encourage the larger community to come together in real life.” Day Out events will focus on family-friendly activities, while Night Out events are geared toward older fans. Currently, there’s no other information about the timing or location of these events.
Lady Gaga’s involvement in the recent campaign does raise questions about her involvement in a more extended Pokémon promotion throughout the year — it wouldn’t be the first time the company has paired up with a pop star to celebrate. For the franchise’s 25th anniversary, Katy Perry partnered with The Pokémon Company to release a new single and music video with Pikachu. This was part of a larger project, Pokémon 25: The Album, which also had contributions from artists like Post Malone and Vince Staples. Regardless of whether there’s more Lady Gaga (feat. Jigglypuff) in the future, 2026 is ramping up to be a very memorable year for fans.
