During the ongoing Pokémon World Championships, the official Pokémon X (formerly Twitter) account was briefly compromised and used to post a cryptocurrency promotion tied to the franchise's 30th anniversary.
The incident lasted roughly 30 minutes before The Pokémon Company regained control, removed the unauthorized posts and issued a public notice.
Background
Pokémon — one of the video game industry's most enduring franchises, with flagship titles on the Nintendo Switch and digital distribution through Nintendo's eShop — celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2026.
The Pokémon World Championships is the series' official competitive event, producing heightened attention from fans and media worldwide.
The unauthorized post referenced a so-called “$Pokemon, the official Pokémon memecoin,” a message that appeared on the company's X account during the event.
Company statement (paraphrased)
The Pokémon Company confirmed that its X handle was accessed without authorization for approximately 30 minutes.
The company said the unauthorized posts promoted a cryptocurrency and were not created or approved by Pokémon.
The posts were removed once control of the account was restored, and the company stated it has secured the account and is investigating the incident.
Security context
Unauthorized social-media posts promoting cryptocurrencies have previously been associated with account compromises aimed at advertising tokens or directing followers to external investment schemes.
In this case, The Pokémon Company acted to remove the content and notify followers that the material was not official Pokémon communication.
What this means for players and fans
There is no indication in the company's public message that other systems were affected.
Official Pokémon information, including announcements about Nintendo Switch titles and activities in connection with the 30th anniversary, will continue to be posted through verified channels.
Fans should rely on verified accounts and official channels such as The Pokémon Company’s confirmed X account and announcements via Nintendo partner channels for authentic updates.
The Pokémon Company has said it is investigating the incident; further details will likely follow as that inquiry proceeds.
For now, the company’s swift removal of the posts and account recovery have restored the expected official communications during the championships.
The incident lasted roughly 30 minutes before The Pokémon Company regained control, removed the unauthorized posts and issued a public notice.
Background
Pokémon — one of the video game industry's most enduring franchises, with flagship titles on the Nintendo Switch and digital distribution through Nintendo's eShop — celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2026.
The Pokémon World Championships is the series' official competitive event, producing heightened attention from fans and media worldwide.
The unauthorized post referenced a so-called “$Pokemon, the official Pokémon memecoin,” a message that appeared on the company's X account during the event.
Company statement (paraphrased)
The Pokémon Company confirmed that its X handle was accessed without authorization for approximately 30 minutes.
The company said the unauthorized posts promoted a cryptocurrency and were not created or approved by Pokémon.
The posts were removed once control of the account was restored, and the company stated it has secured the account and is investigating the incident.
Security context
Unauthorized social-media posts promoting cryptocurrencies have previously been associated with account compromises aimed at advertising tokens or directing followers to external investment schemes.
In this case, The Pokémon Company acted to remove the content and notify followers that the material was not official Pokémon communication.
What this means for players and fans
There is no indication in the company's public message that other systems were affected.
Official Pokémon information, including announcements about Nintendo Switch titles and activities in connection with the 30th anniversary, will continue to be posted through verified channels.
Fans should rely on verified accounts and official channels such as The Pokémon Company’s confirmed X account and announcements via Nintendo partner channels for authentic updates.
The Pokémon Company has said it is investigating the incident; further details will likely follow as that inquiry proceeds.
For now, the company’s swift removal of the posts and account recovery have restored the expected official communications during the championships.
