Daily Star reporter Bekka Barnard attended Pokémon GO's 10th anniversary celebration in New York's Times Square, describing it as the most immersive and realistic Pokémon GO experience a trainer could wish for. The event transformed one of the busiest places on Earth into a real-world playground filled with trainers, creators, media, and fans from across the globe.
Times Square Transformed into Pokémon GO Paradise
Thousands of excited Pokémon GO trainers filled Times Square, which was cordoned off with branded activation stands. Fans clutched phones with excited smiles, swapping stories from the last decade and showing off their favorite Pokémon. The evening featured live DJ performances from Tinzo & Jojo and dance music duo Loud Luxury, turning the gaming event into a full-blown street party.
Giant Coordinated Raid Against Mega Mewtwo Y
The highlight of the evening was a coordinated battle against Mega Mewtwo Y. More than 1,000 trainers simultaneously joined the same live Raid, raising their phones and tapping furiously to defeat the iconic legendary creature. A giant animation of Mega Mewtwo Y flitted across screens throughout Times Square. Complete strangers cheered each other on and shouted a countdown before celebrating together as they caught Mewtwo. Barnard managed to catch a Shiny Mewtwo.
Reflections on a Decade of Pokémon GO
The event began with a conference looking back at ten years of Pokémon GO, which launched in 2016 and still brings millions of people outside daily. Ed Wu, who has worked on the game since the beginning, and Michael Steranka, Vice President of Scopely, shared personal stories and family photos that highlighted the game's impact. Barnard noted that the game reaches players in more than 150 countries and regions and generated over $1 billion in revenue during 2025 alone.
Trainers traveled from around the world, including Barnard from London. The joy was contagious, and the event demonstrated how Pokémon GO has grown into a way to build friendships and forge communities. Walking away with a Shiny Mewtwo and a warm feeling, Barnard reflected on how a mobile game managed to bring thousands of people together in one of the world's most iconic locations ten years after its release.
