A recent 10th-anniversary celebration in New York City’s Times Square has triggered significant backlash from the Pokémon GO community. The event, which recreated the game’s original 2016 reveal trailer, featured nearly 2,000 invited Trainers participating in a massive, in-person Mega Mewtwo Y raid. While the spectacle drew praise for its nostalgic appeal, the decision to award attendees with a guaranteed 100% IV Mewtwo with an exclusive New York background has left many players feeling alienated.

Quick Facts

  • The event took place in Times Square, New York, with attendance capped at approximately 2,000 trainers.
  • Invitations were distributed through local Community Ambassadors across the five boroughs.
  • Attendees were granted a guaranteed 100% IV Mewtwo with a unique location background.
  • Mega Mewtwo raids remain available to the global player base as part of Pokémon GO Fest 2026.

Community Reaction and Developer Response

Since the event concluded on July 10, 2026, social media platforms have been flooded with criticism. Many long-term players described the guaranteed perfect-stat encounter as a "slap in the face" to those who have spent years grinding for high-IV Pokémon or traveling to previous Go Fest events without similar rewards. On Reddit, some users labeled the event the "antithesis of what made Pokémon GO a phenomenon back in 2016," citing concerns that the developers favored influencers and local creators over the broader community.

The official Pokémon GO X account saw a wave of negative responses following their celebratory post, with many users expressing frustration over perceived favoritism. In response to the growing tension, some community members pointed out that attendance was strictly limited due to the physical capacity of Times Square, and that the invited participants—many of whom are local Community Ambassadors—have spent years building their local scenes.

Content Creators Address the Controversy

Several content creators invited to the event have spoken out, clarifying that the rewards were not disclosed to them beforehand. Alex Nexton stated, "I had absolutely no idea that was going to happen. None of us did. The entire day was surprise after surprise, and that reveal was one of them."

Caleb Peng, who did not attend the event, urged the community to stop targeting invited creators for the developer's reward decisions. "I think it’s ridiculous that anyone going to or invited to the event should get hate for it," Peng noted. "To my knowledge, they didn’t even know what was in store for them and they’re allowed to be excited about a perfect Mewtwo with the New York background."

While the exclusive Times Square background and the guaranteed perfect stats remain limited to the event attendees, Niantic has ensured that the Mega Mewtwo raids themselves are accessible to players worldwide through the ongoing Pokémon GO Fest 2026. Dexerto has contacted the developers for further comment.