Pokémon is coming to FAST TV

Pokémon fans will soon be able to truly catch ‘em all.

Last month, the Pokémon Company announced a partnership with Canadian entertainment enterprise WildBrain to launch the first free ad-supported TV (FAST) channel airing all Pokémon, all the time.

• With the new 24/7 channel, fans of the highest-grossing media franchise of all time will be able to stream the first 22 seasons of the original Pokémon anime for free across WildBrain’s partners, which include Samsung, LG, the Roku Channel, Tubi, and Pluto TV.
• The announcement comes several months after the Pokémon Company discontinued its standalone Pokémon TV app, which made it virtually impossible to watch the series legally online.

The companies have yet to announce an official launch date for the Pokémon FAST channel, though analysts expect it’ll be up and running by the end of this year.

Zoom out: Streaming is in its FAST era. Free ad-supported platforms have grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, with streamers like Roku, Tubi, and Pluto now drawing similar or higher viewership compared to conventional apps like MAX, Paramount+, and Peacock. Given current trends, Goldman Sachs projects the value of the combined FAST universe – which also includes Amazon’s Freevee, Rakuten TV, and the Comcast-owned Xumo – to grow by 15% each year until 2027.

And as we all know… Streaming platforms are always hungry for new content that draws viewers.