Summary
The first officialPokémonDay 2025 merch has been announced, and it features the first-generation Pokémon, Porygon. PokémonDay takes place on February 27 every year, in celebration of the release ofPokémon Red and Greenin Japan, in 1996. Every year,Pokémonfans are treated to events, announcements, and merch. Next year’s PokémonDay is getting an early start, with the very first merch being revealed over half a year ahead of time.
Ultra PRO has revealed the Porygon Evolutions Stitched Playmat, an officially licensed mat for thePokémon Trading Card Game. The 2025 design, as spotted byPokeGuardian, features Porygon, Porygon2, and Porygon-Z, set against a computer chip tech-themed green and black background. The mat is made from a soft fabric meant to keep players' cards safe as they play and a non-slip rubber backing.The new design will be available for purchase starting June 25, 2025, and it will probably cost $22.99, like last year’s playmat design.
All Pokémon TCG: Shrouded Fable Cards Appear Online Days Before Release
Just days before the worldwide release of the Shrouded Fable set for the Pokémon TCG, every card in the expansion is now available to see online.
First 2025 Pokémon Day Merch Design Isn’t As Good As Last Year’s
Response To Porygon Playmat Is Underwhelming
Ultra PRO’s 2024 Pokémon Day playmat featured Abra’s evolutions – including theTCG’s once-banned Kadabra– and a more vibrant design, featuring yellow accents against a deep purple background. This year’s design is uninspired in comparison, making some fans feel that the playmat is a disservice to Porygon. Fan reaction is generally underwhelmed, criticizing how much of the new pad is dominated by the uninspired background. UserJedo_0kon the PokéBeach forums seems to sum up fan consensus in this comment: “It looks eh, but not too bad.”
This early announcement makes this the first official merch for Pokémon Day 2025. The annual celebration is highly anticipated, as it typically birngs announcements and trailers for upcoming projects from across the entirePokémonfranchise. There will likely be information on what’s following thePokémon TCG’s 2024 sets, potential news regardingPokémon Legends: Z-A, and an update on the franchise’s film and anime ventures.
Until then, fans can expect announcments like the Porygon Playmat to trickle in ahead of the next Pokémon Day. This is just the beginning, and many more fun announcements, playmats, and other merch will be announced in the six months that remain beforePokémonDay 2025.
