A new collaboration between Pokémon GO and the Pokémon TCG has been announced, and "part one" of what's coming is a brand new Professor Willow card for players to acquire. 2021 is the 25th anniversary of both Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, and it also marks the 25th anniversary of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, which has since gone on to become one of the most popular TCGs in the world. Pokémon GO is also celebrating its 5th anniversary in 2021, so there are plenty of milestones occurring simultaneously.
Pokémon GO continues to reinvent itself as required, implementing requested features or adjusting gameplay norms to best suit its players. Since releasing in July 2016, Pokémon GO has consistently been one of the best-performing mobile apps, and despite a rocky period that saw server connectivity issues and a lack of content early, the game has since established itself as a worthwhile time investment for the millions who continue to enjoy it. Meanwhile, the Pokémon TCG is experiencing some impressive growth thanks to the popularity of rare box openings, with content creators often shelling out five or six figures to acquire old boxes to then open on video.
Given the popularity of both brands in 2021, it makes sense that a Pokémon GO and Pokémon TCG collaboration is coming to celebrate the franchise's big 25th anniversaries. In a post on Pokémon GO Live, it was revealed that a Pokémon GO Professor Willow card will be made available for players in summer 2021. The Professor Willow card is being planned to be "obtainable in regions around the world where the Pokémon TCG is sold," though no details on the actual card and its functionality have been revealed yet. According to the announcement, the Professor Willow Pokémon TCG card will be revealed in late May 2021, where both its art and content will shown to players.
It's also worth noting that the post states it is "part 1 of the collaboration," which seems to indicate there are further plans for the Pokémon GO and Pokémon TCG collaboration that haven't been announced yet. That could mean there are more Pokémon GO-specific cards coming, or perhaps some of the Pokémon TCG's most iconic cards will make an appearance in some fashion.
Either way, it's hard not to see the Pokémon GO and Pokémon TCG collaboration as a major win for both brands. Pokémon GO continues to be a mobile killer app and if any of the TCG players are unfamiliar or become interested after falling out of daily play, that's a win for developer Niantic. On the other hand, the Pokémon TCG is already growing rapidly thanks to the popularity of its older cards, and collaboration with Pokémon GO could see a younger generation of players become interested in the game's history - not to mention its lucrative collecting scene.
Source: Pokémon GO Live