Pokémon GO is turning 10, and its latest anniversary gift is a pretty big one.
Instead of just giving players another cosmetic item or a small bonus, the game is offering free Timed Research that can lead to a Mewtwo with maxed-out stats, along with a special background.
For longtime players, this is a reward worth paying attention to.
A Big Anniversary Gift for Pokémon GO Players
The free Timed Research is available to players around the world. Completing it will lead to an encounter with Mewtwo that comes with maximum stats.
There is another nice bonus too. The Mewtwo received through this research will have the third Mega Level unlocked for Mega Mewtwo Y.
That makes this more than just an anniversary collectible. For players who enjoy building strong Pokémon, this could be a very useful addition to their collection.
You Don’t Have Forever to Claim It
This is Timed Research, so players need to complete the tasks and collect their rewards before:
Sunday, September 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. local time.
So if you still play Pokémon GO, this is one of those things I wouldn’t leave until the last minute.
Why This Gift Matters
There has been plenty of discussion around Pokémon GO’s 10th anniversary, especially following the recent Times Square event in New York.
That event gave selected attendees an extremely valuable Mewtwo, including a guaranteed perfect-stat version. Not surprisingly, some players who weren’t invited felt that the reward created an unfair gap between a small group of players and the wider Pokémon GO community.
Now, everyone gets a chance at a powerful Mewtwo through the anniversary research.
Players who already received a Mewtwo from the Times Square event will get different stats and rewards from this research. The special Times Square background will also return at some point in the future.
Our Take
For me, this is a smart move.
Pokémon GO has been around for a full decade, and the anniversary should feel like something the wider player base can actually enjoy. Giving everyone access to a strong Mewtwo is a much better way to celebrate than keeping the best rewards limited to a small group.
It also shows why live-service games need to pay attention to how their special events are received. Something that feels exciting to a few invited players can easily feel unfair to millions of people watching from outside.
Whether this was planned from the beginning or partly influenced by the reaction to the New York event, the result is simple: Pokémon GO players now have a very good reason to open the game.
And there is one more thing worth remembering…don’t wait until September 6 to do it.
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