This week on That Pokémon Podcast, Jim Viscardi and Christian Hoffer dive headfirst into the absolute chaos surrounding Pokémon collecting right now. From empty Target shelves and scalpers flipping Pokémon starter jackets and Pop-Tarts for ridiculous prices to the ongoing insanity around Pokémon cards, vending machines, and collector culture, things are getting wild out there.

The guys also break down the growing collectibles bubble, why Pokémon still shows zero signs of slowing down, and how manga collecting is starting to follow the same path. Plus: Pokéopia bundles, new DLC rumors surface, Pokémon Go gets a bizarre new raid mechanic, Bangkok lands a massive new Pokémon Center, and Shiny Volcanion finally becomes officially obtainable.

Oh, and the Pokémon Fact of the Week somehow turns into an existential breakdown about Dodrio anatomy.

On this episode, Jim and Christian break down a wildly chaotic week in the world of Pokémon news. From Pokopia reportedly driving massive profit revisions at Koei Tecmo to speculation about Nintendo’s hardware tailwinds, the guys dig into why this game has become a cultural and financial juggernaut. They also get into Pokémon Night Out, an EDM concert event featuring Marshmello that pushes the franchise further into live music crossover territory.

From there, things only get weirder: Target’s Pokémon collaboration rolls out starter jackets, Pop-Tarts, Sour Patch Kids, and even Pikachu-shaped snacks, while the question of over-commercialization starts to creep in. Competitive talk hits with Incineroar continuing to dominate the Pokémon Champions meta, and the duo also touches on Silicobra’s regional spawn controversy in Pokémon GO, a new Pokémon footbath experience in Japan, and the oddly deep cultural roots of Farfetch’d.

After a week off, we return to a pile of Pokémon news… and unfortunately, not all of it is good.

Pokémon Champions is finally here, but the launch has been rough. We’re talking missing features, weird limitations, technical issues, and whether this whole thing feels more like a beta test than an actual release. Is this a misstep, or is The Pokémon Company quietly trying to reset competitive play?

From there, we shift gears to something a little lighter… and somehow just as disappointing. The new Pokémon pinball machine is out in the wild, and it’s not exactly lighting the world on fire. We break down what works, what doesn’t, and why it feels like a missed opportunity.

We also hit on:

• Pokémon GO teaming up with MLB (and somehow also helping people get engaged)
• A LEGO Pokémon contest that’s about to get very competitive
• The ongoing chaos around Pokémon cards
• And a surprisingly heated debate about Pokémon evolutions that spirals in the best way possible

It’s a fun one, it gets a little unhinged, and yeah… we definitely go off the rails at the end.

This week on That Pokémon Podcast, we dive into Pokopia (again) and why it’s quickly becoming one of the most addictive and surprising Pokémon games in years. From massive builds to chaotic Pokémon personalities, we break down why this game hits so hard, but also - was this game undersold? We also talk Pokémon Champions, including major competitive changes and whether it even feels like a full game yet. Plus, TCG Pocket pulls, Gale of Darkness issues, upcoming events, and one big question: what the hell is Slowpoke?

This week, we’ve got a lot to talk about, but let’s be honest, this is basically the Pokopia episode.

We’re gonna get into why this game has completely taken over our lives, the absolutely insane stuff people are building, and why it might quietly be one of the best Pokémon experiences we’ve had in years.

But before we get there, we’ve also got a pretty wild story about Niantic and Pokémon GO data, some new TCG Pocket reveals, LEGO Pokémon leaks, and a few other things worth hitting. Oh and we almost forgot the Pokemon Fact Of The Week (BUT WE DIDN'T).

Pokopia has officially arrived and the fans are losing their mind. Christian shares early impressions after a few hours with the new cozy Pokémon game, Megan finally gets her hands on it, and Jim explains how he managed to destroy his Switch 2 before even playing. The crew dives into what makes Pokopia feel more like Animal Crossing than a traditional Pokémon game, the surprising event Pokémon system already rolling out, and why the game might attract players who normally ignore the main series.

They also break down Pokémon Unite’s controversial gameplay changes, discuss new Pokémon LEGO leaks, celebrate the upcoming retro pixel-style Pikachu plush, and react to the chaos of trying to get tickets to the Pokémon Fossil Exhibit at Chicago’s Field Museum.

Plus: this week’s Pokémon Fact of the Week leads to an unexpectedly disturbing discussion about Geodude anatomy.

It’s Pokémon Day, and we’re breaking down everything from this year’s Pokémon Presents. From the surprisingly ambitious Pokéopia (yes, the Minecraft/Animal Crossing/Roblox energy is real) to the big reveal of Pokémon Winds & Waves, we’ve got thoughts. Lots of them.

We dig into the new starters and why this might be the strongest trio in years, debate whether Champions can actually replace Unite, react to Gale of Darkness returning, and question why Slugma got that much screen time. Plus: is Winds & Waves the Breath of the Wild-style Pokémon game fans have wanted for years? And are we really waiting until 2027?!

The march to Pokémon Day continues, and while the news cycle is a little light, the headlines are anything but small. This week we break down Logan Paul flipping his Pikachu Illustrator card for a record-shattering $16.492 million and debate whether that price will ever be matched again. We also dive into Stern’s newly announced Pokémon pinball machine, why it feels surprisingly generic, and whether The Pokémon Company might have played it a little too safe with the design.

On the competitive side, Pokémon TCG Pocket officially stays casual, as The Pokémon Company confirms it won’t become a mainstage esports title. We talk about why that might actually be the best possible outcome for the game. Plus, we react to the underwhelming 30th Anniversary Pokémon Center merch, the surprisingly massive dev team behind Pokémon Pokeopia, multiplayer server details that sound suspiciously Minecraft-inspired, and close things out with a PokéFact that confirms Victorybell is absolutely terrifying.