Pokemon Returns to Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

Pikachu and Eevee will once again appear in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Pokemon Company confirmed that it would participate in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, with Pikachu and Eevee returning on their Poke Ball-inspired sled. This marks the 22nd consecutive appearance for the Pokemon franchise in the parade. Eevee made its first appearance in the parade last year, joining Pikachu's traditional romp through the streets of New York City. This year's balloon is the same as last year's and is the fourth Pokemon-themed balloon to appear in the annual parade. 

The Pokemon Company traditionally uses the parade as an easy way to promote its various products ahead of the holiday season. This year, Nintendo released Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, a pair of new Pokemon games set in the brand new Paldea region. Not only do the games feature over 100 new Pokemon, they also are the first true "open world" Pokemon games, although the games seem to suffer from graphical and performance issues related to the much larger map that players can explore. While Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are one of the worst-reviewed Pokemon games of the last decade, they still have managed to sell massive amounts and continue the Pokemon franchise's dominance as a global brand. 

We'll note that last weekend, mascot versions of Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly, the Starter Pokemon of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, made appearances at Nintendo's NYC retail store. While not confirmed for an appearance at the parade, it wouldn't be surprising to see them stomping through the parade to promote the new games as well. 

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available for sale now on the Nintendo Switch. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is this Thursday.