AssetID: 55841920
Headline: Pokémon GO fans take over Times Square to celebrate revolutionary game's 10th anniversary
Caption: BY MARK WORGAN Fans of Pokémon GO celebrated the beloved augmented reality game’s 10th anniversary with a takeover of New York's Times Square on Thursday night (09July2026). Pokémon GO, which launched in July 2016 and allows players to collect Pokémon and battle by travelling to real-world destinations, has become one of the world's most successful mobile games. The anniversary celebrations began with a surprise event in Times Square, where more than 1,000 players took part in a coordinated raid battle against the Legendary Pokémon Mega Mewtwo Y. The event was streamed live and also featured a performance by electronic music duo Loud Luxury. Michael Steranka, Vice President of Product for Pokémon GO at Scopely, said: "When we first dreamt what Pokémon GO might become a decade ago, hosting more than a thousand people in a single, local raid battle was just a pipe dream. We never stopped asking ourselves, ‘What if?’ and ‘How could we do it?’ Seeing that vision become a reality in Times Square was the perfect way to celebrate 10 years of playing together with our community." According to the company, more than 800 million people have played Pokémon GO since its launch, with players catching more than one trillion Pokémon and exploring more than 100 billion kilometres while using the game. Ed Wu, President, Games, Scopely, added: "As Pokémon GO celebrates its 10th anniversary, what continues to inspire us is how the community has grown with the game. What started as an invitation to explore the world around you has become something that brings players together across cities, countries, and cultures, from neighborhood meetups to celebrations that draw hundreds of thousands of people together." The celebrations continue with Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Global, which runs on 11 and 12 July. The event will be free for all players who log in during the weekend. Participants will receive access to exclusive Special Research leading to an encounter with the Mythical Pokémon Zeraora, alongside increased chances of encountering Shiny Pokémon and other in-game bonuses. Scopely also said more than two dozen community events will be held around the world during the weekend, giving players the opportunity to take part in local activities, collect exclusive rewards and meet other members of the Pokémon GO community.
Keywords: feature,photo,video,pokemon,computer games,times square
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