Today, The Pokémon Company International and The Wand Company announced a collaboration to release the first-ever Die-Cast Poké Ball Replica Series, offering fans the unique opportunity to collect premium replicas of the iconic Poké Ball, Great Ball, Ultra Ball, and Premier Ball when they launch throughout 2021. In addition, another special Poké Ball replica will be coming exclusively to Pokémon Center, the official e-commerce arm of The Pokémon Company International and premier destination for official Pokémon merchandise in the US and Canada.
Equipped with proximity-sensing technology, the Die-Cast Replica’s button glows when it senses motion; pressing the button changes the light color or starts a Pokémon-catching illumination sequence. Ideal for collectors, each replica comes with a presentation case—authenticated by a uniquely-numbered hologram—and a polished stainless steel ring that provide multiple ways to properly protect and display the product. Fans will also enjoy multi-colored lights when opening the lid of the case, which can be controlled through a touch-sensitive metal plaque on the front of the case.
“The Poké Ball is an iconic part of the Pokémon franchise, and we are thrilled to work with The Wand Company to re-create the Poké Ball as a high-quality collectible for our fans,” said Amy Sachtleben, director of licensing at The Pokémon Company International. “The Wand Company is known for their innovative designs and world-class manufacturing, making them the perfect partner to bring this vision to life.”
“Working on such an iconic property as Pokémon is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for The Wand Company team,” said Chris Barnardo, CEO of The Wand Company. “It’s been such an exciting development and we look forward to sharing our gorgeous Poké Ball series with fans everywhere.”
To highlight this launch, the classic Poké Ball version was prominently featured in Pokémon’s appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. Flanked by a troupe of dancing Pikachu, a Pokémon Trainer triumphantly held up the Poké Ball for millions of fans around the world to see. As of today, fans can preorder one of their very own.
As the first to launch in the series, the Poké Ball replica is available for preorder starting today via Amazon and other participating retailers around the world, and products will ship to preorder customers to arrive on Pokémon Day, Feb. 27, 2021. Products will be available at Sideshow.com, Zavvi, Forbidden Planet, and Yellow Octopus, among other retailers.
