New Pokemon Snap Merchandise Revealed

The Pokemon Company is releasing a new set of merchandise to celebrate the upcoming launch of New Pokemon Snap, the series’ photography-based video game. Though The Pokemon Company has been promoting the launch worldwide through a recently implemented Meganium-themed Twitter emoji, among other activities, the New Pokemon Snap merchandise lineup seems to be exclusive to Japan for now.

With the game’s release date drawing nearer, the development team seems to be more than generous with New Pokemon Snap trailers. One recently dove deep into the different regions and gameplay features, while the game’s director has been open about the team’s decisions on which of the many Pokemon to include in the video game.

According to the official Pokemon site in Japan, the New Pokemon Snap merchandise will be available during the video game’s launch date. Taking to heart the game’s theme of photography, the merchandise lineup’s main designs circle around the art of taking photos. Some of the items come in the form of snapshots, an old-school film reel, and even a photo album.

The official post states that the products will be available in Pokemon Centers starting April 30. The collection includes a magnet set, washi tape, reflector keychains, a jigsaw puzzle, a sticker set, and even an A3 clear file. Several Pokemon can be found in the designs, including the three starter Pokemon from Pokemon Sword and Shield, and Electric-type Pichu, Bidoof, and Kanto start Water Pokemon Squirtle, among others.

With the items only available in Japan for the moment, hardcore Pokemon fans may have to find other ways to purchase the products, either through friends based in the region or through proxy shopping services. Hopefully, The Pokemon Company will bring the New Pokemon Snap merchandise to western shores as well, giving Pokemon aficionados a chance to add these cute products into their collection.

One of the best things about a new year for the gaming community is filling in the new calendar with game release dates. It's always nice to know when there's a new game on the way, but it's even better to know exactly when it's coming out so fans can count down the days. Sometimes, the stars align, and one particular day becomes a major day for completely different communities. In 2021, April 30th is one of those days. Nintendo will finally be releasing New Pokemon Snap on that day, returning to a storied Pokemon spinoff. At the same time, the PS5 will be getting a highly anticipated exclusive, namely Returnal.

It's sort of funny that these are the games that April 30 is supporting, because they couldn't possibly be more different from each other. One is a delightful photographic romp through the colorful world of Pokemon, and the other is a twisted and increasingly horrifying sci-fi shooter on an alien planet. Still, New Pokemon Snap and Returnal come together to make April 30 a blockbuster of a day for the game industry. Each game has its own impassioned audience, and since they're different console exclusives in very different genres, they won't hardly be competing with one another. April  30 looks like a day worth waiting for for a lot of fans.