Pokémon eyes smart watches, glasses and rings for future experiences

MUMBAI: Gotta wear ’em all? Pokémon may be thinking beyond the pocket. The Pokémon Company could be looking to take its characters and experiences into wearable technology, with president and CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara pointing to smart watches, glasses and rings as potential areas for the franchise’s future.

Speaking at the inaugural PokémonXP in San Francisco, California, during the Producing Pokémon: A Conversation with Mr. Ishihara panel, Ishihara reflected on how the franchise has adapted alongside major shifts in handheld gaming and wireless connectivity.

He noted that accessories once served as something of a secret weapon for Pokémon fans. Devices such as the Pokéwalker and Pokémon GO Plus allowed players to carry their Pokémon experience beyond the traditional gaming device.

But smartphones changed the equation, prompting the company to rethink how its accessories could work, Ishihara said.

Looking ahead, he suggested that the next challenge could be integrating Pokémon more deeply with devices people already wear, specifically mentioning smart watches, smart glasses and smart rings.

The comments come shortly after the reveal of the Fitbit Air Special Edition Pokémon Sleep, a wearable health tracker designed to connect with Pokémon Sleep. The app turns sleep tracking into a Pokémon-themed experience, allowing users to collect Pokémon based on their sleeping patterns.

For Pokémon, wearable technology could therefore offer a natural extension of the franchise’s long-running fascination with gadgets that blend play with everyday life. Ishihara, who is also the founder and former CEO of Creatures Inc., has been involved with the franchise across much of its history, from Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green to the development of its anime and trading card game.

During the panel, Ishihara also spoke about his personal enthusiasm for handheld gadgets and toys, saying he hopes Pokémon continues to create entirely new forms of play that excite audiences.

His ambition appears to stretch well beyond the next device cycle. Ishihara said he hopes Pokémon can continue creating experiences that people enjoy “across three or four generations in the future”.

For a franchise built around catching creatures, Pokémon may now be looking at another kind of catch finding a place for them on the devices people wear every day.