On July 9, 2026, Pokémon GO held a special anniversary celebration in New York City, and Pokemon.com was invited to participate in the festivities. We joined Pokémon GO fans from across the world as they celebrated a decade of exploration, connection, and discovery. Then, we took part in an iconic battle in the middle of Times Square, bringing to life a vision ten years in the making.
10 Years of Memories
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The global Pokémon GO phenomenon began ten years ago with an iconic trailer. The opening line, “imagine Pokémon in the real world,” was the vision the game was built around, setting the stage for what the team has worked to deliver to Trainers for the last decade.
“We began to bring [the game] closer and closer to the vision that was laid out in the trailer.”
Long-time Trainers have fond memories of the first few weeks after Pokémon GO’s release in July 2016: the thrill of adventuring into the world with friends, seeing what new discoveries and new Pokémon the day would bring. They remember the sense of community that came with joining throngs of people in their public park or local mall and running with the crowd to snag an elusive Pokémon.
Since then, the game has expanded exponentially, supporting more than 800 million players, encouraging greater exploration and connection, and bringing incredible live events to Trainers across the globe. The team has delivered on the promises made in the original launch trailer, introducing many ways to trade, battle, and connect.
But one of the most memorable moments from that original trailer had yet to be brought into the real world, so to celebrate this 10-year milestone and all the fans that made it possible, the Pokémon GO team decided to go all out.
Before the Big Event
In the early hours of July 8, 2026, there were reports that Mewtwo vanished from its container at Pokémon Center Shibuya and the related in-game PokéStop. Speculation started to brew. Where did it go? Where might it pop up?
A group of Trainers had received an invite to a special in-person event in Manhattan but had yet to learn any of the specifics. But soon after Mewtwo’s mysterious disappearance, these Trainers were sent another message—an invitation to Times Square.
Heading into Times Square
Walking into the event, Pokémon apparel and portable batteries were abundant, as you’d expect from the select Pokémon GO players in attendance. Attendees had only just found out the location of the event—Father Duffy Square at the north end of Times Square—and were still unsure what was about to unfold, but the excitement was nonetheless electric. Two DJs spun beats at the illuminated archway entrance into the space, keeping the energy up as the crowd settled in.
Once inside the venue, attendees lined up to sns with friends at the two photo ops in the back: a subway set plastered with Pokémon GO logos, and a recreation of an in-game postcard that framed the subject with a backdrop of Times Square
Gaming event host and producer Sydnee Goodman was the emcee for the evening’s festivities, and three Pokémon GO content creators—AwesomeAdamTV, landoralpha, and MYSTIC7—weaved through the crowd to stream the event live to the official Pokémon GO Twitch channel.
Many of the attendees were Community Ambassadors and members of their local communities, representing their regional pockets of Pokémon GO fandom. It was amazing to see these clusters of long-time fans celebrating the game that brought them together, taking plentiful group photos, and cheering whenever someone caught an especially cool Pokémon.
But perhaps even more notable were the new connections being formed. Community Ambassadors from around the globe were meeting for the very first time and sharing cherished Pokémon GO memories. These dedicated players have kept the game thriving over the past ten years, and this event felt like a celebration of their contributions.
Building the Buzz
The outdoor space filled up, and the event truly kicked off with some fun in-game activities. Starting with the text “2016,” the past ten years were overlayed directly on the in-app map. As the years ticked up, special wild Pokémon appearances and Legendary Raid Battles appeared that coincided with each year.
These appearances and raids updated every ten minutes, and Trainers were given free Raid Passes to participate. As Trainers caught tons of Pokémon and battled in rotating raids, dance music duo Loud Luxury hit the stage for a surprise performance, keeping the vibes up with a high-energy setlist and building excitement for what was to come.
Mewtwo Takes Manhattan
At 8:30 p.m., all the screens in Times Square went dark. Then, they lit up with the Pokémon GO launch trailer—the one that represented everything the game’s development team dreamed it might one day become. And, of course, that trailer ends with a massive group of Trainers racing into Times Square with one directive: Defeat Mewtwo.
A two-minute countdown began, and Trainers rushed to prepare their Pokémon for a gigantic, synchronized Unity Raid—a brand-new type of Raid Battle that allows hundreds of people to take down a single Raid Boss simultaneously. Once the countdown screens turned red, Mewtwo erupted from its capsule, and the raid lobby opened. More than 1,500 Trainers flooded into the lobby, making this one of the largest in-person raids in Pokémon GO history.
“We’re hopefully going to make one of the most pivotal memories of the first ten years and the next ten years.”
Mewtwo descended, and that same directive—Defeat Mewtwo—flashed across all the screens. But in a twist on the iconic moment from the original trailer, Mewtwo Mega-Evolved into Mega Mewtwo Y in a brilliant flash of light. This change is a testament to how far the game has come since that launch trailer first dropped—a moment that once seemed impossible was not only brought into reality, but in a grander way than anyone could’ve imagined back in 2016.
The battle began, and Mega Mewtwo Y flitted from screen to screen, leaving virtual destruction in its wake. To break through its tough shields, players had to charge up powerful Unity Attacks by lifting their phones into the air. It was a hard-fought battle, but with collective effort from the players and their powerful Pokémon, Mega Mewtwo Y was taken down!
As Trainers used Master Balls to catch Mewtwo, “GOTCHA!” flashed across all the screens, and a triumphant burst of purple and pink confetti rained down on the celebrating crowd.
There were two Mega Mewtwo Y Unity Raids in total, kickstarting an exciting Pokémon GO Fest 2026 weekend.
Looking to the Future
“The first ten years were just the beginning.”
This event brought to life one of the memorable moments of that original launch trailer—a moment that was once thought impossible to achieve. And the future of Pokémon GO promises even more of these electric experiences across the globe, continuing the game’s legacy as a vehicle for connection, exploration, and discovery.
Here’s to ten more years of memories, Trainers!
Release Date
July 6, 2016
Genre
Real World Adventure
Platform
iOS and Android
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