Ten years ago, Pokémon Go launched and turned the entire world into Pokémon trainers overnight. To mark the occasion, Scopely is sending every single player a free Mewtwo, no raids required, no tickets to buy.
The delivery comes through a free Timed Research quest that, once completed, drops you straight into an encounter with the Legendary Kanto Pokémon. The Mewtwo you get from it isn't some stripped-down participation trophy either. It arrives with maxed-out stats and a special anniversary background, and the third Mega Level for Mega Mewtwo Y comes unlocked automatically. That last part is a big deal for anyone who's been grinding Mega Energy.
What you're actually getting from the Timed Research
The headline here is the stat spread. A perfect-stat Mewtwo handed directly to players is genuinely rare territory for a mobile game that normally gates its best content behind raid passes and event tickets. Tacking on Mega Mewtwo Y's third Mega Level makes this one of the more generous distributions the game has ever run.
Players have until Sunday, September 6 at 11:59 PM local time to claim all rewards. The research is already live worldwide, so there's no regional rollout to wait on.
The Times Square situation, addressed
This distribution also quietly resolves a complaint that's been circling since July. Pokémon Go's in-person 10th anniversary event at Times Square let attendees catch a Mewtwo with a special background, but the lack of any remote option frustrated players who couldn't make it to New York. The worldwide Timed Research is the answer to that.
Here's the thing: players who did attend the Times Square event aren't getting the exact same Mewtwo twice. Those who caught one in person will receive a version with different stats and different rewards from the global distribution, keeping the Times Square catch distinct. Scopely also confirmed that the Times Square background Mewtwo will return at some unspecified point in the future, so missing it in July isn't a permanent loss.
Ten years of Pokémon Go and where it fits in the franchise
The game's longevity is worth putting in context. Pokémon Go launched in July 2016 and became a cultural phenomenon almost instantly, pulling in players who hadn't touched a Pokémon game since Pokémon Gold Version first hit Game Boy Color back in 2000. That generational reach is a big part of why the 10th anniversary feels like a genuine milestone rather than just another in-game event.
The franchise has always leaned on nostalgia well, and a free Mewtwo, one of the most iconic Pokémon from the original 151, is about as on-brand a celebration as it gets. Mewtwo has been a fixture of Pokémon lore since the first games, and its status as the hardest Legendary to obtain in the early titles made it the perfect choice for a milestone giveaway.
If you want to brush up on the classic Pokémon experience that started it all, the Pokémon Gold Version guides over on GAMES.GG cover everything from type matchups to late-game secrets. For broader gaming coverage across titles, the full gaming guides hub has you covered.
