The National Toy Hall of Fame has officially announced this year’s inductees, and one of the biggest trading card games of all time has finally made the cut.
Pokémon cards were inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame on the morning of Thursday, November 5, as the franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary. Other new additions from this year’s lineup include Bingo, Care Bears, and the classic slide, which beat out nominees like Bop It!, mahjong, and Polly Pocket.
“Pokémon TCG’s widespread appeal and global presence are undeniable,” said curator Mirek Stolee. “The Pokémon TCG successfully adapted card game formulas established by its predecessors, making it more accessible and infusing it with the lovable Pokémon creatures.”
The National Toy Hall of Fame was established in 1998 to “recognize toys that have inspired creative play and enjoyed popularity over a sustained period.” The Hall of Fame is currently housed at the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, which is also home to the World Video Game Hall of Fame.
Anyone can nominate a toy for consideration. A panel of museum curators, historians, and educators then evaluate these nominees based on four pillars: icon status, longevity, discovery, and innovation. The Hall of Fame has a relatively loose definition of a toy, having previously inducted a cardboard box and the concept of ‘sand’ in addition to classics like LEGO, Barbies, and slinkies.
This isn’t the first time a trading card game has made it onto the prestigious toy list. Magic: The Gathering was added in 2019, nearly 10 years after the induction of another tabletop classic, Dungeons & Dragons.
The Strong website now has a section dedicated to the Pokémon TCG, where it describes the game’s history and cultural impact:
“[Pokémon TCG] has played a pivotal role in popularizing the concept of trading card games and has served as an entryway into the hobby for millions. The Pokémon TCG has even spawned its own video game (for Game Boy) and app (available on multiple platforms), thus completing the circle back to its video game origins. Recently, the cards have become the focus of major financial speculation. Online viewers watch content creators “rip,” or open, TCG packs, in the hope of finding valuable, rare cards.”
As of March 2026, more than 85 billion Pokémon cards have been printed and distributed globally. The trading card game is currently being printed in 13 different languages, and rough estimates put the total market cap above $15 billion.
As the museum description implies, however, the massive explosion of Pokémon’s popularity hasn’t really been a good thing for most fans. Scalping has plagued the community for years now, turning the once casual card game hobby into a collector’s racket. Market prices have soared out of control, threatening the ‘accessibility’ the Toy Hall of Fame specifically praises the game for.
The Pokémon Company is aware of the problem, and has repeatedly announced its intentions to increase stock to combat it. This increased production seems to have taken effect with the recent 30th anniversary product line, which led to scalpers complaining the set isn’t profitable enough.
As for the Hall of Fame, Pokémon’s induction will likely lead to new exhibits and events at The Strong in the new year.
Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.
