Pokémon Go Is Giving All Players a Perfect Mewtwo to Apologize for Times Square Stunt

Pokémon Go developer Scopely infuriated many fans in July when it kicked off the celebration of the game’s 10th anniversary with an invite-only event in New York City’s Times Square that awarded a Mewtwo with perfect stats and a special background. The stunt, inspired by the game’s 2016 announcement trailer, was only open to influencers, content creators, and press, and some attendees took to eBay to sell their special variants for $500 to $5,000.

Now, Scopely is making it up to players by giving everyone a perfect Mewtwo with a special anniversary background.

While all players were able to catch Mewtwo in raids during the global Pokémon Go Fest July 11-12, Pokémon with perfect stats — dubbed hundos — are extremely rare. Doing more raids increases your chances of getting one, but that requires purchasing extra passes. Players now just need to complete a very simple timed research by catching 10 Pokémon and powering up a Pokémon 10 times to claim the hundo Mewtwo with special anniversary background. Go Fest ends Sept. 6 with a Mega Finale, which offers more opportunities to catch Mewtwo with a special background.

Image: Scopely

Sweetening the prize, the hundo Mewtwo will have the third Mega Level unlocked to become Mega Mewtwo Y — the version attendees at the Times Square event battled and caught. Trainers will also receive a Master Ball, which can be used to catch any Pokémon with a single throw.

​​​​​​​Scopely promised the Mewtwo with a special Times Square background will be made available again at some point in the future, likely as part of another Go Fest event. Players who were lucky enough to be in Times Square will receive a Mewtwo with different stats.