Updated
Updated · WIRED · Jul 10
2,000 Pokémon Go Trainers Defeat Mega Mewtwo Y in Times Square as Game Turns 10
Updated
Updated · WIRED · Jul 10

2,000 Pokémon Go Trainers Defeat Mega Mewtwo Y in Times Square as Game Turns 10

3 articles · Updated · WIRED · Jul 10

Summary

  • Nearly 2,000 invited trainers across New York’s five boroughs converged on Times Square Thursday night and beat Mega Mewtwo Y in one of Pokémon Go’s biggest in-person battles.
  • The anniversary event recreated the game’s 2016 trailer finale—long promised but never staged before—with in-game alerts, a Loud Luxury set and a livestream across Pokémon channels.
  • Scopely used the spectacle to underline the game’s durability: more than 800 million people have played over 10 years, with over 100 million active players in 2024 and $1 billion in 2025 revenue.
  • Community play remains the core pitch, with ambassadors growing from 50 to more than 3,000 in two years and live events selling nearly 1 million tickets in 2024.
  • A free Pokémon Go Fest Global event this weekend will extend the same Mega Mewtwo Y gameplay worldwide, as Scopely says it is doubling down on in-person communities for the next decade.

Insights

After a $3.5B sale, can Pokémon GO's new owner convince players the next decade will be even better?
Pokémon GO is ten years old and still the only AR giant. Why has every competitor failed to catch up?