Pokémon TV, the free streaming application by The Pokémon Company, announced it was shutting down on March 28, 2024. The announcement was made on January 9th, with the app being removed from the App Store, Google Play, Roku Channel Store, Amazon Appstore, Nintendo eShop, and Pokemon.com. However, devices with the application already installed may continue watching content until March 28.
The app is the only location where fans can watch all episodes and movies of the Pokémon anime for free, alongside exclusive content for the Trading Card Game (TCG) and the video game series. Many fans of the Pokémon anime voiced their disappointment with the decision to shut down the platform, given the app’s easy-to-use interface and reliability.
Pokémon TV was initially launched online in 2010, with an application launching on Google Play and the App Store in 2013 and the Nintendo eShop in 2021. While the main content featured on the app was the wealth of rotating Pokémon anime content, the platform also featured exclusive content for kids and fans of competitive play. The Kids’ section of Pokémon TV included various nursery rhymes and songs, with the Play! Pokémon portion hosting VODs of various competitive formats, from VGC (Video Game Championships) and TCG to Pokkén Tournament competitions.
Although a reason for the shutdown of the app was not stated, The Pokémon Company provided a guide listing where to watch the anime, but the spread-out episodes across various platforms may be a hinderance towards both first time viewers and long time fans looking to rewatch the classic series. Although Pokémon TV’s content was rotated in and out on a regular basis, fans could watch the whole series if willing to wait for the next rotation. While an official replacement application for Pokémon TV has not been announced, many fans are hopeful that like the TCG online application, a new version of Pokémon TV will be released soon.