‘The language of Pokémon is universal’: why fans are still catching ‘em all after 30 years

As Pokemon Go celebrates its 10th anniversary, its devoted players explain how the game has created a vibrant intergenerational community spanning the globe

Most Pokemon obsessives count rare, absurdly expensive playing cards or pristine, fully boxed game cartridges that have survived decades in the attic among their most prized possessions. But for Mairead Ralph, her Pokemon-related crown jewel is a bit different. Technically, it's my husband!" she says.

The pair first locked eyes amid decks of Pokemon playing cards and Pokeballs at a fan event 16 years ago and the rest is history. Ralph was among hundreds of Pokemon fans who flocked to Shoreditch, east London, on Saturday afternoon for a pop-up celebrating the 10th anniversary of Pokemon Go, the massively successful augmented reality smartphone game that has seen millions of players physically venture to all corners of the earth to catch 'em all in person. In that spirit, the surrounding area was full of Pokeheads wandering the streets, their heads in their phones, seeking to catch exclusive Pokemon that had been released.