Photo courtesy of Pokemon XP Staff
These days, there’s truly no shortage of ways to engage with the world of Pokémon. We’ve got the main series games, the Pokémon TCG, and countless spin-offs and mobile games. And of course, there’s the merch, much of which is staring at me as I write this. Yet because there are so many Pokémon games out there, many fans pick and choose how they engage. That means some games, particularly the mobile spin-offs, get the short end of the stick. But that doesn’t mean smaller titles like Pokémon Sleep don’t have a dedicated fan base. I’ve been waking up to catch Pokémon for years now, and I’ve long worried those days were numbered. Now, I’m not so sure.
Lately, it seems like The Pokémon Company is putting a renewed emphasis on Pokémon Sleep. The game was first released in 2023, and it admittedly got off to a slow start. It’s sort of a weird hybrid between a health app and an actual game. So, it’s not surprising it didn’t take off quite like Pokémon Go or even Pokémon TCG Pocket. Though the game continued to get regular updates, it sort of started to feel like the Pokémon Company had given up advertising it in a big way. But then, we got the dedicated special edition Pokémon Sleep Fitbit Air, alongside a slew of big announcements for the game. We might be back, and I couldn’t be more excited.
Pokémon Sleep Is a Core Part of My Morning Routine & I Wouldn’t Have it Any Other Way
I will fully admit that I was not an early adopter of Pokémon Sleep. I’d already been using my Fitbit to track sleep for years, and at the time, the game didn’t integrate with any existing trackers. Despite being a big Pokémon fan and lover of apps that quantify health metrics, I didn’t really expect the game would add anything to my life. I also wasn’t really big on mobile games at the time, having only really played Pokémon Go up to that point. But soon enough, I got curious enough to download Pokémon Sleep. I’ve been playing it daily ever since.
The art style in Pokémon Sleep is adorable, to start with. Seeing all the different Pokémon sleep styles is just plain heartwarming. It’s relatively low-touch as far as games go, but that’s honestly what I like about it. So long as I remember to tap my Pokémon Go Plus+ before bed and again when I wake up, I have a whole host of sleeping Pokémon waiting for me in the morning. In fact, I actually bought the Plus+ not for Pokémon Go, but so I could more easily track my sleep while also falling asleep to my favorite podcasts. At most, I’m checking in with Pokémon Sleep three times a day: morning to befriend new arrivals and feed Snorlax breakfast, then again at lunch and dinner to keep Snorlax well fed. For me, having an app that’s not constantly vying for my attention feels really refreshing. Add in the cute companions you get to hang out with, and it just makes sense.
I’m a person of habit, and Pokémon Sleep has easily become part of my daily routine. I wake up, tap my Go Plus+, then make coffee and let the dog out. While I eat breakfast, I review my Sleep Report and see what new spawns I can befriend. From there, I also check in on my other Pokémon mobile games. But it always starts with Pokémon Sleep, my little reward for another night’s rest. So, my growing fear that the game may sunset has been hanging over my head for the last year or so. Now, though, I have some reason to hope that it might be around for the long haul, after all.
Better Tracker Integration Is the Perfect Way to Expand Pokémon Sleep
Recently, I had the pleasure of attending the 2026 Pokémon World Championships & Pokémon XP convention (with thanks to The Pokémon Company for paying my travel & event attendance). When I checked into my hotel, I was delighted to see that we received custom, Pokémon Sleep-themed key cards for the event. They may or may not be glued into my junk journal now. This alone made me happy to see the game making an appearance at the event. Then, I saw that there was a Pokémon Sleep booth on the Pokémon XP floor, where I got to meet a giant Snorlax. But it turns out that was just the beginning. A couple of days later, I returned to my hotel room to find a truly exciting surprise. On the table next to my bed was a small Pokémon Sleep-themed bag.
When I opened it, I found some adorable goodies, with my thanks to the Pokémon Sleep and Google Fitbit teams. Most notably, the package included the new Fitbit Air Pokémon Sleep special edition, which had been announced that same day. This new, branded Fitbit comes out on September 15th, and it’s part of the ongoing effort to integrate Pokémon Sleep with fitness trackers. This exact hurdle is part of what kept me from trying out Pokémon Sleep in the first place. Now, there’s an actual tracker designed to tie in with the game. I’ll confess I’ve yet to actually swap out my Fitbit Versa for the Fitbit Air because I am a creature of habit. But I do love the design, which has a sleepy Pikachu on the Pokémon Sleep blue band.
More to the point, though, this feels like proof that Pokémon Sleep isn’t going away just yet. The game connects to some trackers already, but Fitbit has been a notable sticking point. I still can’t get the thing to sync with my Versa, but I’m hopeful that the Fitbit Air will do the trick. Making it easier for people to add the game as a nice part of an existing sleep tracking routine feels like an ideal way to increase the fanbase. No special gadgets or overheating phones required. Just your usual tracker and a fun, adorable game on your phone. One that’s about to add Mewtwo for the first time, I might add.
Better yet, the special edition sleep tracker isn’t the only spotlight on Pokémon Sleep. Recently, we’re also being treated to another round of Pokémon Sleep-inspired shorts. These show off Pokémon trying to wake up their trainers, giving us an adorable reminder that my favorite underrated Pokémon game exists. It may never compete with the player counts of Pokémon Go or even Pokémon TCG Pocket, but I do love to see the Pokémon Company investing in getting the word out about Pokémon Sleep again.
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