With the popularity of video games on the rise, it appears that videogame-based music tours (where symphonies play arrangements of music from games) are also picking up in popularity. Nintendo continues to capitalize on the success of its Legend of Zelda franchise with an accompanying Symphony of the Goddesses tour, which is still going strong this year; and the Video Games Live tour has several dates as well, selling out nearly every venue it appears at.
Now, the Pokémon franchise, which has been a best-seller for years over at Nintendo, is getting in on the action, with the announcement of a Symphonic Evolutions tour. The Pokémon Company, in partnership with Princeton Entertainment, recently announced 30 dates for the show, which will later expand into a world tour that covers the globe. For now, though, the tour will run from May 1st to February 5, stopping in such locations as Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto and New York, among others. The official Symphonic Evolutions page has the full tour list.
With this new showcase, millions of fans will celebrate popular tunes from the Pokémon series, with a combination of orchestral arrangements and carefully timed visuals, to make them feel every classic moment from the Pokémon series. Players will also be able to meet up with friends and newcomers, in the hopes of battling and trading legendary Pokémon characters with one another.
The show has been an early success so far, with sold-out dates in Pittsburgh and Washington D.C., which indicates that the forthcoming tour should be a bit hit as well. And it could attract new Pokémon fans to the fold, especially those with an interest in music.
“Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions is a spectacular showcase of the memorable music that has been a hallmark of the Pokémon franchise for nearly 20 years,” said J.C. Smith, director of Consumer Marketing at The Pokémon Company International. “The concert series serves as a thank you to fans and an invitation to share our passion for Pokémon by reliving some of our fondest memories with the brand. We look forward to seeing fans of all ages enjoying this very special Pokémon orchestral event together.”
Considering that many of the Pokémon video games remain on the best-seller charts, it shouldn’t be a surprise that The Pokémon Company sees this as a new way to celebrate the legacy, while presenting it as a new art form. Of course, it’s also a great marketing tool, keeping interest high in the franchise in-between new releases, while making money from the events.
As for what’s next for the franchise, we’ll have to wait a little while, as Nintendo likely has plans to unveil the next Pokémon game in an online Direct special set to air during E3. And with the company’s plans to move into mobile with the help from DeNA, there’s a good chance the franchise could make an impact there as well.
In the meantime, though, fans can simply catch ’em all while enjoying the music from the series.
