Pokémon Go Draws Thousands to Times Square for 10th-Anniversary Mewtwo Event as 115 Million Still Play Monthly
Updated
Updated · Kotaku · Jul 30
Pokémon Go Draws Thousands to Times Square for 10th-Anniversary Mewtwo Event as 115 Million Still Play Monthly
3 articles · Updated · Kotaku · Jul 30
Summary
Thousands of players filled Times Square on July 9, three days after Pokémon Go’s 10th anniversary, and cooperatively caught an event-exclusive Mewtwo in a live showcase of the game’s enduring community pull.
That celebration landed against years of player backlash over higher microtransaction costs, heavier event schedules, more ads and unpopular design changes, with some fans saying the 2025 Scopely takeover worsened monetization.
2023 cuts to Remote Raid passes became a flashpoint because they hit disabled and rural players especially hard, triggering the #HearUsNiantic boycott and pushing some users to quit or stop spending.
Data use remains another major concern: players have worried about location tracking and AR scans, though Niantic Spatial said earlier this year Pokémon Go data is no longer shared with it after Scopely acquired the game.
Even with ethical concerns over data practices and Scopely’s Saudi ownership, Pokémon Go still has about 115 million monthly players, leaving its 10-year legacy both durable and deeply contested.