Taipei’s new Pokemon Center leaves fans in the West furious
Looks like you'll need to start saving those Air Miles, as a brand-new Pokemon Center is getting ready to open its doors in Taipei, Taiwan. Unlike the pixel versions in the many Pokemon games, these Pokemon Centers aren't veterinary surgeries to take your sick animals. Instead, they're a haven of merchandise for Pokefans.
With the first Pokemon Center welcoming us inside in 1998 (since relocated twice to the Mega Tokyo location), Japan outlets have multiplied like Reuniclus. The most recent was Okinawa in August 2022, but unfortunately, it's rare that a Pokemon Center opens and stays outside of Japan.
Taipei's Pokemon Center has fans in the West jealous
Although we knew a Taiwanese Pokemon Center was opening in December 2023, we've now been given a closer look thanks to Serebii. We don't have an exact location yet, however, there's an impressive batch of concept art to see what we're in store.
With each Pokemon Center having its own mascot, we also know Taipei will spread its wings with Dragonite watching over it. Even though the news has been a hit online, it's led to an outcry from those in the West who are lamenting the fact we haven't got our own Pokemon Center.
One critic grumbled, "Still no/extremely expensive Europe shipping. When will there be an EU warehouse? I feel like they could earn SO MUCH more money," while another raged, "I hope they put one in America. The Pokémon section in the Nintendo NYC store is sad."
There is an online Pokemon Center for those in regions including the USA and UK, but someone still wrote, "They love EVERYWERE but America." Others are being totally locked out, as one disappointed Duskull concluded, "Pokemon Centre in Australia when? Or at least shipping to it."
The sad history of Pokemon Centers
Click to enlargeDespite an abundance of Pokemon Centers in Japan, other stores have been largely limited to pop-ups or short-lived adventures. The biggest loss is undoubtedly the New York Pokemon Center that opened in 2001, was refitted as the Nintendo World Shop in 2005, and then became Nintendo New York in 2016.
The UK had a temporary store that sold an adorable bowler hate Pikachu in 2019, and has since celebrated the World Championships, while France had the honour of Europe's first outlet in 2014. Even comments from those in Taiwan suggest that opening a Pokemon Center in Taipei is an unusual choice when compared to larger markets.
As it stands, the online Pokemon Center offerings are pretty limited, and although there are workarounds, it could result in massive shipping costs. Still, as Taipei joins Singapore as the second (currently open) Pokemon Center outside of Japan, we're sure to be popping in if we're ever in the area.
