It was like being back in 2016. Pokémon Go celebrated its 10th anniversary with a bang, recreating the original trailer's promise of a Times Square Mewtwo raid. The anticipation was palpable, with rumors swirling even before the event began. The 10th anniversary art and the disappearance of Mewtwo from the Shibuya Pokémon Center were subtle hints, but it was the darkening of Times Square that confirmed the legendary Pokémon's arrival. And what an arrival it was! Mewtwo emerged from its container, and over 1,000 players joined a community raid, battling together on the screens lining Times Square. The twist? Mewtwo Mega Evolved into Mega Mewtwo Y, a powerful Psychic-type that players fought against, with their Pokémon and avatars projected onto the surrounding screens. The battle was intense, with players raising and lowering their phones to make their Pokémon deal the final attack. The catch? A Master Ball was used, and the second Mewtwo was a guaranteed 'hundo', meaning it had perfect stats, a dream for any Pokémon Go player. I was there, and for a moment, it felt like the magical Pokémon Go summer of 2016. The joy of being surrounded by people who love something just as much as you do was palpable, and the shout of 'Pikachu' could be heard across the crowd. What made the event even more special was how Pokémon Go counted down the years since its release in-game during the lead-up to the Mega Mewtwo Y raids. Each year, the game displayed the number of years it had been live, accompanied by raids for legendary Pokémon and wild spawns for other released Pokémon from that year. It was a subtle yet powerful way to look back at the game's history through the Pokémon themselves. With the conclusion of this event, Pokémon Go has fulfilled everything it set out to do in its original trailer. The future is uncertain, but Go Fest 2026, the game's annual worldwide celebration, will be held this weekend, with the global release of Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y as the highlight. This event marks a new chapter for the game, and I, for one, am excited to see what the future holds.
