Nintendo and Pokémon’s history reveals an unusual partnership

But there’s a glaring exception to this rule. Pokémon might be Nintendo’s most valuable property. By some (admittedly hard to verify) estimates, it’s the highest-grossing media franchise of all time, with coffers fed by ubiquitous merchandizing as well as game and trading card sales. (One report claims that Pokémon generated $12 billion in retail sales in 2024 alone.) But Pokémon is not really Nintendo’s — not wholly, at any rate.