Every Pokémon card in a modern pack was published by a company most players today have never dealt with directly.
A licence, not an in-house project
When the Pokémon Trading Card Game launched in English in early 1999, it wasn't produced by Nintendo or The Pokémon Company — it was published under licence by Wizards of the Coast, the Seattle studio already running Magic: The Gathering's global distribution network.
Why WOTC made sense
Wizards of the Coast brought something the franchise didn't yet have outside Japan: an established international trading card supply chain, print relationships and retail distribution built through Magic. That existing infrastructure is reportedly a big part of why Base Set, Jungle, Fossil and the sets that followed all carry a Wizards of the Coast copyright line.
The handover to The Pokémon Company
The Pokémon Company itself had already existed since 1998, a joint venture between Nintendo, Game Freak and Creatures Inc. overseeing the franchise in Japan. It wasn't until around 2003 that this arrangement extended to the English-language card game too, with The Pokémon Company taking over publishing directly and ending Wizards of the Coast's run as the English TCG's publisher.
Frequently asked questions
When did Wizards of the Coast lose the Pokémon TCG license?
Reportedly around 2003, when The Pokémon Company took over English-language production directly.
Why did Wizards of the Coast get the license in the first place?
Its existing global trading card distribution network from Magic: The Gathering made it a natural launch partner.
Is The Pokémon Company the same company as Nintendo?
No, it's a separate joint venture involving Nintendo, Game Freak and Creatures Inc.