Nintendo announced Wednesday that Pokémon sales are up 220% from this time last year, and claims that more poké-profit is guaranteed to follow. Nintendo predicts that total retail US revenues for the Pokémon franchise will reach $3 billion for this calendar year.

Reasons Nintendo sites for the continuing rise in poké-popularity? Nintendo plans on launching four new Pokémon videogames, a sequel to the animated motion picture, hundreds of new licensed products, and six national promotions that will run thought the end of the year. Expect to see Pokémon linked to Kelloggâs, Kraft, and Burger King among others in the near future.

"The popularity of Pokémon continues to amaze the industry," says Gail Tilden, Nintendo's vice president, product acquisition and development. "All signs point to [the Pokémon franchise] being the number-one entertainment franchise again this year."

The four upcoming Pokémon games expected to be released before the end of the year are the highly anticipated Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver, Hey You Pikachu (the first voice recognition game for the N64), and Pokémon Puzzle League.