>>33017266It's all about context, OP. Context. Events have to be distributed to tie to something else.
Look at the 2017 events:
- Lycanroc: Ties to TCG expansion
- Arcanine: North American International Championships
Japan:
- Jirachi: Tanabata Festival (Japanese holiday, Jirachi are distributed every year there)
- Charizard/Piplup/Lucario/Mew: 7-11 promotion for 20th movie
- Ho-Oh: CoroCoro promotion for 20th movie
- Marshadow/Pikachu: 20th movie events
- Victini: Pokemon Center distribution
- Steenee/Vulpix/Turtonator: Anime tie in distribution
- Eeveelutions: Eevee & friends distribution for Japanese Pokemon Center
- Bewear: Pokemon Center distribution
- Six eggs of rare Pokemon: Pokemon Center Easter distribution
- Machamp: Tie in promotion with Saori
- Tapu Koko: TCG promotion
Very few events are out in the Americas and Europe because Pokemon is not as relevant there as in Japan. Pokemon has a significant influence in Japan. Pokemon is just another thing outside of it.