🔗 Share this article

Marking the launch of a captivating new book Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology, an exciting partnership is underway. Pokémon's creators alongside London's Natural History Museum will launch a temporary store featuring exclusive items. Enthusiasts can look forward to products like plush toys, art prints, and writing supplies that are drawing from the museum's theme. For collectors, however, will be a specially made Pikachu card, offered as a free bonus at the pop-up. The store will operate from the physical location and online between late January and mid-April.

The Book Behind the Collaboration

Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology represents a highly anticipated tome packed with beautiful artwork that show creatures in their natural habitats. It's essentially like what an in-world scientist might publish after adventurers provide field notes, alternatively what Charles Darwin could have sketched if the famous islands were populated by Pidgeys instead of birds. A key appeal stems from the book's scholarly approach, treating Pokémon as worthy of scientific inquiry. Writer Yoshinari Yonehara together with artist Chihiro Kinoshita each possess doctorate degrees in animal behavior and ecology.

What Makes This Promo Card Different

It is common for The Pokémon Company to release cards celebrating big events and brand collaborations. A lot of these collector items often feature the famous mouse Pokémon that acts as the franchise mascot. The factor setting this new promotion apart however, is the distinctly bigger size. While precise specs were not immediately shared, its distribution will certainly be highly restricted, and fans able to get only a single card with each transaction.

Curbing Reseller Interest

Per a company announcement, some of the pop-up items will also be sold beyond the institution itself. However, broader availability is slated for select retailers within the United Kingdom. Critically, fans cannot acquire the card via the online Pokémon Center. While reseller interest is a given, the setup suggests they're going to have trouble hoarding mass quantities this time around. If you're unable to attend, there is the upcoming Pokémon Fossil exhibit headed to Chicago in the coming months.

"All profits of sales from the museum store and from its online store, which covers Pokémon products, support the Natural History Museum’s charitable mission. This includes the efforts of 400 scientists dedicated to scientific inquiry to discover answers to the global ecological crisis," it notes.