The 10th-anniversary celebrations for Pokémon Go have been met with significant player dissatisfaction following an exclusive event in New York City's Times Square. While the event itself featured a spectacular display, recreating the game's 2016 announcement trailer by having players battle and capture a Mewtwo, the rewards were limited to an invited group of influencers, content creators, and press.
These select attendees were able to capture a "Hundo" Mewtwo, a Pokémon with perfect stats. Such perfect IV (Individual Value) Pokémon are exceptionally rare in the game, making a legendary Hundo Mewtwo a highly coveted prize. While regular players who watched the event remotely for at least 30 minutes received in-game items like Poké Balls and Lucky Eggs, these rewards were seen as meager compared to the exclusive Pokémon obtained by event attendees.
Mewtwo itself has appeared in Pokémon Go previously, but the rarity of a perfect specimen has led to frustration for many players who have participated in numerous raids without success. The exclusivity of the Times Square giveaway has been described by some as "one of the most out of touch decisions in the history of this game."
Critics argue that this type of event runs counter to the communal spirit that propelled Pokémon Go to global phenomenon status in 2016, emphasizing the shared experiences of millions of average players. Developer Scopely's subsequent social media acknowledgments were met with further anger and accusations of being "tone deaf."
Future opportunities to obtain Mewtwo in its Mega Mewtwo X and Y forms will be available during the global Pokémon Go Fest 2026 event beginning July 11. However, players will not be guaranteed a perfect Mewtwo and may need to purchase items such as Raid Passes to maximize their chances, a prospect that has also drawn criticism.