Pokémon in Belgium

Pokémon in Belgium
Flag of Belgium
Language	Dutch and French
Continent	Europe
Original animated series airdates
EP001	1999
AG001
DP001
BW001
XY001	April 25, 2014
SM001	November 20, 2016 May 1, 2017
JN001
HZ001

The Pokémon franchise first arrived in Belgium in 1999, with the first broadcast of Pokémon, ik kies jou!/Le départ in Dutch (Flanders) and French (Wallonia).

Pokémon video games

Most core series and spin-off Pokémon games have been released in English in Flanders (except Pokémon Duel) and in French in Wallonia (except Pokémon Conquest), usually the same day as the release in the rest of Europe. An exception to this were Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions—due to a major bug found in some releases of Pokémon HeartGold, which prevented saved games from being detected, the release was postponed from March 25 to April 2, 2010 in both Flanders and the Netherlands.

Due to regulations banning loot boxes in video games beginning in 2018, Pokémon Masters EX and Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket were not released in Belgium or the Netherlands, despite being released elsewhere in Europe. While Pokémon UNITE did receive a release, it will be discontinued early in the Netherlands or Belgium, with registration and renewal of UNITE Club memberships and sales of Aeos gems ending on October 31, 2024, and service ending on November 30, 2025.

As in the rest of Europe, Pokémon Trozei! was sold under the title Pokémon Link! and Pokémon Rumble Blast was sold under the title Super Pokémon Rumble.

Pokémon Play It! was released in Dutch as Pokémon: Speel het! The interface of Pokémon Trading Card Game Online is in Dutch but the cards themselves remain in English.

Pokémon animation

In Flanders, the animated series first aired on VT4 from 1999 until September 17, 2012; on VIER from September 18, 2012 until December 31, 2015; on vtmKzoom starting on June 29, 2015; on Kadet starting on December 18, 2015; and on Disney XD starting in 2010. The Dutch dub is the same as in the Netherlands. On November 19, 2016, M19 aired on Kadet.

In Wallonia, the animated series first aired on RTL-TVI. The French dub of the animated series is produced in Belgium. Its French dub is the same as in France.

In both Flanders and Wallonia, the animated series is available on Netflix.

Pokémon Trading Card Game

Booster packs of the Pokémon Trading Card Game have been sold in Belgium since the beginning of the TCG. Prices are generally around €4 per pack.

In Flanders Base Set, Jungle, and Fossil have been released in Dutch, while later sets have been sold in English only.

In Wallonia the French TCG is distributed. France has received all of the same expansion sets that have been released in North America except for Base Set 2, Gym Heroes, Gym Challenge, Southern Islands, Legendary Collection, Skyridge, EX Team Rocket Returns, Platinum: Arceus and Legendary Treasures.

999 Games and PS-Games were responsible for the distribution in Flanders and the Netherlands until 2011 as PS-Games, also the sponsor and distributor of the Pokémon Day in the Netherlands, was declared bankrupt. It is unknown when 999 Games stopped the distribution of the TCG. The company saw the profits fall with €3.9 million to €5.6 million and was in debt by €2.2 million. After that Enigma Distribution Benelux B.V. took the distribution of the TCG over.

There are six Play! Pokémon leagues in Belgium, which work the same way as leagues in other countries. Once every year, the leagues in the Netherlands and Belgium hold an international tournament called the Benelux Cup.

Trivia

• In Het Sportpaleis in Antwerp, Belgium, a Pokémon musical was staged on April 6 and 7, 2002. It was based on the American Pokémon Live.

External links

• The official Belgium Pokémon website (single page)

This article is part of Project Globe, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon franchise around the world.