“It was like being back in 2016” Pokémon Go celebrates 10th anniversary by recreating the original trailer’s Times Square Mewtwo raid

Pokémon Go marked its 10th anniversary by bringing the original 2015 trailer’s fantasy to life. The debut trailer ended with an ambitious vision of players converging in Times Square, New York to battle the legendary Pokémon Mewtwo—a scenario that seemed impossible at the time. Last week, the developer made good on that promise.

Nearly 2,000 players, including numerous Pokémon Go influencers, gathered in Times Square on Thursday evening for a special raid event. The spectacle began with the billboards going dark before illuminating to reveal Mewtwo Mega Evolving. The rare sight of so many players participating in a coordinated raid recreated the aspirational vision from the game’s original marketing.

The event was teased through an intriguing marketing stunt: an ominous Mewtwo statue at the Shibuya Pokémon Center in Tokyo mysteriously vanished days before the announcement. The Pokémon was also removed from PokéStops, leaving fans to speculate about what Niantic had planned. The mystery culminated in the Times Square takeover, creating buzz and anticipation around the anniversary celebration.

However, the event-exclusive nature of the raid has left some fans frustrated. The Mewtwo available at the event was a special version—a perfect IV Pokémon known in the community as a “hundo”—that cannot be obtained elsewhere. This exclusivity sparked backlash among players unable to attend, as it creates a permanent advantage for those who participated in the NYC event.

Despite the controversy, the Times Square event succeeded in delivering a memorable moment for the live-service game’s milestone anniversary, demonstrating that ambitious community experiences remain central to Pokémon Go’s appeal.

“It was like being back in 2016” Pokémon Go celebrates 10th anniversary by recreating the original trailer’s Times Square Mewtwo raid

Sources