10 years ago, Pokemon GO presented players with an idea: that they could get together with a community of Pokemon fans and take on one of the most iconic Pocket Monsters from the franchise’s 30-year history, Mewtwo. 10 years later, developer Scopely Explore (formerly Niantic) delivered on that promise with an experience Pokemon GO has never seen before, and may never see again. Or perhaps not for another 10 years.
At a special media, creator, and community ambassador event, the team behind Pokemon GO reflected on the game’s journey. Although POGO is celebrating its 10th anniversary, its history dates back even further. Scopely President of Games Ted Yu shared his personal Pokemon GO journey to a packed ballroom. How Niantic’s Ingress caught the attention of Pokemon leadership and inspired a partnership mobile gaming has never seen before. How he helped launch the game right around the time he was also expecting a child. How Pokemon GO has become a part of his family, much like it has for many of us.
Michael Steranka, VP of Product for Pokemon GO, also shared his history with Pokemon GO. Like taking a trip to Korea with his then-girlfriend to catch Farfetch’d and complete his Pokedex. Launching his first feature, the Daily Adventure Incense. And how even his almost 70-year-old mom is a diligent gift giver.
A Trip Down Pokemon GO’s Memory Lane
Over the course of an hour, we were allowed to hear how Pokemon and Pokemon GO have become a part of all facets of Yu and Steranka’s lives. It was a rare opportunity to connect with the people behind the game and see how, more than anything, they are just like us.
At the same time, the two did not shy away from acknowledging the game’s early stumbles, like the servers getting slammed early on and the problems that plagued the first Pokemon GO Fest. Even though this event was a celebration, the Scopely Explore devs wanted to share personal anecdotes from the game’s hiccups. Steranka even shared text messages he received from folks he hadn’t heard from in years, who had seen the GO Fest news. It’s a thing that they could look back on and laugh at now, because both have learned from each mistake and are taking those lessons into the future of the game.
I saw that firsthand at Pokemon GO Fest 2026 in Chicago’s Grant Park, where that very first GO Fest took place. That event had its own challenges (through no fault of Scopely Explore’s, mind you), but it was a far cry from the “disaster” of 2017. Chants of “fix your game” were instead replaced by smiling faces, loud cheers, and a community immersed in the game they love.
But why spend nearly an hour talking about Pokemon GO’s history and their personal history with the game? Because we were just on the cusp of Pokemon GO Fest Global 2026, an inflection point for the game that serves as both a time to look back and prepare for what comes next. With Mega Mewtwo as the centerpiece of GO Fest Global, Scopely Explore knew exactly how to make this event feel special. 3-hour chunks spread across two days that featured practically every wild spawn from specific categories (grouped by type), and every Legendary in raids, this was arguably the biggest event in Pokemon GO’s history.
But before Pokemon GO players raced across their towns hunting Shinies and Hundos and the new GO Fest background, Scopely Explore wanted to mark the occasion with something significant. I didn’t know what that was at the time, but it brought me to New York City, and as I later found out, a once-in-a-lifetime Pokemon GO event.
Pokemon GO Takes Over New York
In the middle of Times Square, Scopely Explore carved out a footprint that’s usually reserved for tourist selfies and brought those creators, media, and community ambassadors together to do what they do best: play Pokemon GO. For roughly two hours, we were treated to a walk down memory lane, with two gyms offering raids featuring the marquee targets from GO Fest’s past. It started with 2017 and Lugia and Ho-oh and went on through some of the biggest releases in Pokemon GO, like Crowned Form Zacian and Zamazenta, Origin Form Palkia and Dialga, and Mega Rayquaza. As each gym swapped to its new raid, the years across our section of Times Square counted up, from 2017 all the way to 2025. Then, at 2026, two Super Mega raid eggs appeared with a flashy animation and roughly 30-minute timers.
If you have been following along with GO Fest, you probably could have guessed that the two Super Mega Raids were going to be Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y. I know I did. But boy was I wrong.
To better set up this moment, I want to take you back to before Pokemon GO ever released, much in the same way Ted Yu and Michael Steranka did for the other attendees and me. It all began with a promise — that players would explore their surroundings and catch Pokemon “for real.” That the community of players would come together for major events, like a showdown with Mewtwo in Times Square. I didn’t connect the dots at the time, but that idea was about to become a reality.
In a takeover unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, every screen around us in Times Square showed that early Pokemon GO trailer. Those same moments were shown on screens the size of buildings, with audio booming throughout one of the busiest streets in the world. It was goosebump-inducing enough to think about how far the game has come and to be surrounded by enthusiastic members of its community, but it was merely a mood-setting moment. Then, the screens went dark and Mewtwo appeared.
There, in Times Square, we were going to experience what Pokemon GO promised 10 years ago. We were going to battle Mewtwo — in this case, Mega Mewtwo Y — in one of the most iconic locations in the world. The hype was palpable.
With the screens expanding the experience that was happening on our mobile phones, Scopely Explore kicked off the most unique Unity Raid they might ever do. We watched as Mega Mewtwo flew across these massive digital billboards that usually advertise Broadway shows, movies, and more, attacking our Pokemon (yes, our Pokemon on the screen with our avatars nearby). It was an assault on the senses in the best way, and it took those ideas that the trailer wanted to communicate and made them real. To have Pokemon GO take over Times Square in this way — to feel like you were in the center of a real battle with Mewtwo — is a video game core memory that will be hard to top. Every moment, from the slow trickle of Mewtwo’s HP to the charged attacks it sent out, was represented on a massive scale.
And then, when it came time to activate the key mechanic of the Unity Raid, raising your device to blast the Pokemon’s shield, we became active participants in Mewtwo’s defeat. I mentioned during my time at GO Fest Chicago that Unity Raids might seem silly in your average public setting, but in the midst of 1,000+ Pokemon GO players it delivers a one-of-a-kind moment. Seeing all of those devices in the air with their flashlights activated, you can’t help but be consumed by the enthusiasm. Meanwhile, watching the screens and seeing all of our Pokemon give their energy to break Mega Mewtwo Y’s shield was its own incredible sight.
To put a little extra style points on it all, Scopely Explore also outfitted all of us with a Master Ball to catch the weakened Mewtwo. Again, the visuals combined with the in-game action, as we saw tons of Master Balls fly across the screens and towards Mewtwo. And it all ended as only an event like this could: with one shake, two shake, three shake, Gotcha!
We were rewarded for our efforts with a Mewtwo with its Mega Y form unlocked to Max Level and a unique Times Square background representing the same scene that we were just a part of. I have a lot of trophies in my Pokemon GO storage, but this is now my most prized possession. In equal measure, though, the memory of being there and experiencing that moment is a memory that will last a lifetime. Scopely Explore had done it. 10 Years later, they had made that promise a reality.
Looking Toward the Future of Pokemon GO
As amazing as this moment was, it also set the bar high for the game’s future. So what’s next for Pokemon GO? We know there are events in the game’s immediate future, like the Mega Rayquaza-headlined Ozone Ascent event and the presumed GO Fest Finale in August, but further down the line, the Scopely Explore team hinted at what their goals are for the next 10 years. It has to do with Community, Core Memories, and Multi-Generational Play.
Community is what makes Pokemon GO special, so I’m curious to see how Scopely Explore will introduce new features that bring players together. It’s already a game unlike any other, where strangers will stop you in the street during a weekend event and strike up a conversation. There was talk of raids bringing people together, but it’s unclear how that in-game experience might change over time. What is clear, though, is that Scopely Explore wants to bring players together for raids and it will be interesting to see how they encourage that moving forward.
Core Memories Are What Keep Players Coming Back
Core Memories is not as easy, but I’ve experienced quite a few in my time playing Pokemon GO. Raiding Mega Mewtwo Y is tops at this point, but even something as simple as breaking the ice with someone when we realized we were both in the same raid is what makes Pokemon GO unlike any other game out there. If you’ve ever found yourself connecting with someone when you discover a shared love for video games, Pokemon GO has that same effect magnified in its own unique way. When the game extends beyond the virtual is when those core memories are formed, and I can’t wait to see what Scopely Explore does to give more players the types of experiences that I’ve had with the game.
Multi-Generation Play Builds the Pokemon GO Playerbase
Multi-generational play might be Scopely’s biggest challenge, but it’s also one that I’ve seen first-hand. Much like Ted Yu and Michael Steranka, Pokemon GO has become a part of my family in ways I never expected. Yes, it’s part of our jobs, but if this all ended tomorrow, I would still log on every day to collect my 50 Pokecoins, walk my route, and use my daily raid pass.
I’ve already talked about how Pokemon GO has created a bonding experience for my son and me, and I know that’s true of a lot of people out there. At GO Fest Chicago, I saw so many groups of players from all walks of life. There were grandparents with their kids and grandkids. Couples who traveled across the globe to be at one of Pokemon GO’s premier events. And plenty of duos like me, first and second-generation Pokemon GO players.
My wife has even become part of our Pokemon GO routine as well, reluctantly at first, but eventually she became as addicted as the rest of us. She started just as a third, a Team Mystic member who we could use to kick us out of Gyms and give us an extra hand in raids. Then I caught her spinning Pokestops and throwing curveballs before bed, and I knew that Pokemon GO had its hooks in her.
Over the course of a year, I went from being a solo Pokemon GO player who could easily be called casual to having a fully fledged Pokemon GO family. That’s just how infectious the experience of playing the game can be. It may not work that way for everyone, but for us, Pokemon GO has become our thing.
Pokemon GO is My Forever Game
Maybe I’m an outlier, but being at events like Pokemon GO Fest and seeing how quickly raids fill up reminds you that you’re not alone. It can be a casual nod or a sharing of friend codes; there’s no denying the energy that exists when you are around other players. That’s true of many games but it manifests in such a special way with Pokemon GO.
10 years ago, Pokemon GO players’ lives looked entirely different. We’ve grown up, we’ve had families, we’ve done incredible things — and this game has been part of that in both big and small ways. I can’t imagine what my life will look like 10 years from now or what Pokemon GO will look like either, but the good news is Scopely Explore is thinking about what’s next. With Community, Core Memories, and Multi-Generational Play as the key pillars, the devs have new promises to deliver on. But if the Times Square takeover was any indication, I have little doubt that Pokemon GO will be even bigger in 2036. New York was just the beginning.
