Pokémon GO 10th Anniversary Event and Rewards Breakdown

For ten years, we’ve been tapping our screens, burning through incubators, and fighting the RNG. It’s finally time for the Pokémon Go 10th anniversary event and rewards season, and Niantic is giving players a huge list of things to do. This is not a weekend feature.

It is a heavy grind, wrapping up in July 2026 with free global access to Mega Mewtwo raids and Zeraora.

Let us look at the spawn pools, the pass values, and how to optimize your bag space for the incoming shiny wave.

Pokémon GO 10th Anniversary Official Release Dates & Full Event Structure

The Pokémon GO 10th Anniversary event is structured across three distinct phases, stretching from February 2026 all the way through the real anniversary window in July.

Knowing the timeline means you can save resources for the right moments instead of burning Raid Passes the week before GO Fest Global drops nine free ones per day.

• Kickoff (Feb 8, 2026): “What’s Your Favorite?” photo feature launches. New Trainer Special Research with Gengar + 100 PokéCoins. Claim available until Mar 31, 2026.
• Core Season (Mar 3 to Jun 2, 2026): Memories in Motion season. Daily Discoveries, evolved form wild spawns, full GO Pass integration. 10 a.m. local start and end times.
• Sweepstakes (Mar 10 to Apr 30, 2026): Tag @pokemongoapp with #GOMemories for a shot at free travel to an in-person GO Fest city.
• In-Person Fests (May to June 2026): Tokyo (May 29 to Jun 1), Chicago (Jun 5 to 7), Copenhagen (Jun 12 to 14). Early Mega Mewtwo access, 1,000 player raid lobbies.
• Peak Celebration (Jul 11 to 12, 2026): GO Fest 2026 Global. Completely FREE for all Trainers. Core window: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. local; full bonuses run 24 hours.

The kickoff on February 8 was more of a soft launch, a camera feature, and a photo challenge to get the nostalgia engines running.

The real meat starts with the Memories in Motion season on March 3, and everything builds toward GO Fest Global in July, which lands almost exactly on the game’s original July 6 to 7, 2016 launch window.

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Memories in Motion Season Features, Spawns & Bonuses

This season is stacked. Niantic reworked the event calendar so weekly events now run Tuesday through Monday, with weekend events anchored on Saturday.

That shift alone makes planning raid days less chaotic. On top of that, every Trainer gets these permanent season-long perks for the duration.

Season-Long Bonuses (Always Active)

• +1 Candy on every in-person trade
• 1 guaranteed Candy XL per in-person trade for Level 31+ Trainers
• Boosted XP on 7-day PokéStop spin streaks
• Boosted XP and Stardust on 7-day catch streaks
• Higher shiny rates in raids, eggs, and Team GO Rocket encounters
• Rocket Leaders and Giovanni drop shinies at increased rates
• Evolved forms appearing in the wild (shiny eligible if shiny has debuted)

Daily Discovery Schedule

Every day (12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. local) has a dedicated bonus type. If you’re grinding GO Pass tasks, you’re going to love Monday.

If you’re a shiny hunter, keep Friday in your rotation for those special, lucky trade bonuses.

Thursday is your Stardust farming day. Four times the Stardust from raids plus 50 total battles is a combination you can’t ignore if you’re powering up for GO Fest. Stack a Star Piece on top of that and watch the Stardust pile up.

Special Research: “Pressure Rising”

This is the free research for all Trainers running through the Memories in Motion season. Complete the prior “Glitz and Glam” storyline first, then “Pressure Rising” opens up.

The reward at the end is a Volcanion encounter, non-expiring, shiny, and possible if you’re lucky. No ticket required. For F2P players, this is one of the best Mythical encounters Niantic has offered in a long time without a paywall.

Field Research Breakthroughs

The breakthrough rotation this season covers Gyarados, Honedge, Dhelmise, Sinistea, Duraludon, and Dreepy; most are shiny-eligible.

These rotate in, so check which one is currently active on Leek Duck’s event calendar before burning all your stamps in one week.

GO Pass Deluxe: The Real 10th Anniversary Grind in Pokémon GO

The GO Pass is live every month and is the backbone of Memories in Motion progression.

The Pokémon GO 10th Anniversary event rewards are tightly integrated here; each monthly pass brings a new boss at Rank 100, season-long milestone bonuses, and, for Deluxe subscribers, a meaningful jump in item quality and encounter density.

Let’s break down exactly how it works.

How GO Pass Points Work

• 100 points per rank. Daily task: Catch 15 Pokémon = 200 pts automatically.
• Weekly tasks include catching 75 Pokémon, winning raids, landing Great Throws, hatching eggs, spinning PokéStops, feeding berries, earn buddy hearts.
• Extra daily bonus: Raids, hatches, and catches contribute up to 250 additional pts per day.
• Monday double points from the Daily Discovery schedule are a massive multiplier; plan your heavy grinding for Mondays.

Milestone Bonuses (Active Until Pass Ends)

• Rank 25 (Tier 1): Bigger gift limits, open, receive, and store more gifts daily.
• Rank 50 (Tier 2): 2× Daily Adventure Incense duration.
• Rank 75 (Tier 3): Boosted Stardust and XP from hatching eggs.

April 2026 GO Pass: Entei at Rank 100

The current pass runs from April 7 to May 5, 2026, with Entei as the Rank 100 encounter (shiny possible).

There’s also a two-day unlimited GO Points window on May 2 to 3; if you’re not at Rank 100 yet, that weekend is your catch-up opportunity. Do not waste it.

May 2026 GO Pass: Suicune + PokéCoins

Starting May 5, the next pass introduces something genuinely new: PokéCoins as rewards for the first time.

Free track players can earn up to 400 coins; Deluxe subscribers can earn up to 1,400. Suicune sits at Rank 100 for May. Community feedback on this change has been overwhelmingly positive. Reddit’s r/TheSilphRoad is already calling the coin rewards “game-changing” for F2P players.

Free vs. Deluxe: Is GO Pass Deluxe Worth It?

Feature	Free Track	GO Pass Deluxe ($7.99 to $9.99)
Rank 100 Boss Encounter	Yes	Yes
Milestone Bonuses (Tiers 1 to 3)	Yes	Yes
Lucky Trinket		Yes
Super Incubator		Yes
Extra Encounters (Dynamax spawns)	Basic	Upgraded pool
Stardust / XP Rewards	Standard	Boosted
Ultra Balls / Revives from Web Store		Yes
+10 Rank Head Start (optional)		With $9.99 tier
PokéCoins (May+ Pass)	Up to 400	Up to 1,400

X and Reddit consensus: buy Deluxe if you raid daily. The Lucky Trinket and extra encounters alone justify the cost during a heavy raid season. Skip it if you’re truly casual; the free track still gets you Entei and Suicune.

See Also: Pokémon Go Remote Trades: What It Is and How It Works

GO Fest 2026: The 10th Anniversary Main Event in Pokémon Go

This is it. GO Fest 2026 Global, on July 11 to 12, is the actual crown jewel of the Pokémon GO 10th Anniversary event, and Niantic has made one major announcement that changes everything: the Global event is completely free for every Trainer on Earth. No ticket required. Special Research, boosted shiny rates, all core content, no paywall.

That’s a massive shift from prior years, where tickets ran $15+. For casual players and returners who lapsed post-pandemic, this removes the biggest barrier to participation. The core experience is yours for free, whether you show up for an hour or work two full days.

GO Fest 2026 Global: What’s Included

• Mega Mewtwo X & Y debut in Super Mega Raids, the most anticipated Mega Evolution in GO history
• Special Research with Zeraora encounter (Mythical Pokémon)
• Branching timed research: choose your Mega Mewtwo X or Y path
• Up to 9 free Raid Passes per day from Gym Photo Disc spins
• Up to 6 Special Trades per day
• ½ Stardust on all trades during the event
• Hourly type-themed Field Research (all 18 types across the two days)
• Increased shiny rates and boosted Incense and Lure effectiveness
• Party Play active throughout the event
• Global Challenges + Ultra Unlocks

Core Window vs. 24-Hour Bonuses

The main gameplay window runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time on both days. However, certain bonuses, like boosted shiny rates and select Field Research, remain active for the full 24-hour period.

Night owl players who can’t grind the daytime window should watch official channels for the full breakdown closer to July.

In-Person GO Fests (Ticketed)

Chicago (June 5 to 7), Copenhagen (June 12 to 14), and Tokyo (May 29 to June 1) are the three live venues. Tokyo was already nearing capacity when it was announced.

In-person tickets include early access to Mega Mewtwo raids in lobbies of over 1,000 simultaneous players, a scale that also provides significant speed bonuses.

Ticket holders also get guaranteed Mega Mewtwo X or Y encounters with at least the first Mega Level already unlocked.

Additional exclusive Pokémon include costumed Pikachu, Shiny Wash Rotom, Shiny Tauros, Comfey, and a Caterpie with a Poké Ball hat.

Mega Mewtwo X & Y Full Breakdown

After years of teasing, Mega Mewtwo is finally arriving in both forms during GO Fest 2026. This is the most significant new content in the anniversary celebration and introduces a completely reworked Mega Evolution system to go with it.

How Super Mega Raids Work

Mega Mewtwo appears in newly introduced Super Mega Raids designed for large-scale group play.

These require sizeable crowds to complete, pushing players toward coordinated sessions in parks, city centers, and GO Fest venues.

On victory, you get a chance to catch Mewtwo and earn either Mega Mewtwo X Energy or Mega Mewtwo Y Energy, depending on which raid you beat. These energy types are separate and not interchangeable.

Split Mega Energy System

Unlike Mega Charizard X and Y, which share a single energy pool, Mewtwo’s two forms require completely separate resources.

Mega Level progression is also divided into X and Y levels independently. Any existing Mega Level progress you have will carry over after the system update rolls out, and previously collected energy will be duplicated into both types.

The design appears to be deliberately built for long-term engagement, giving active raiders more reasons to keep hitting these raids past the initial debut weekend.

GO Fest Global Encounter Bonuses

Every Mewtwo caught from Super Mega Raids during GO Fest 2026 comes with at least one Mega Level already unlocked, meaning you can Mega Evolve it immediately without paying the usual initial energy cost.

There’s also a chance it starts at Mega Level 2 or even 3. Move assignments differ by form:

• X Mega Mewtwo X raids: Caught Mewtwo knows the Fast Attack Counter.
• Y Mega Mewtwo Y raids: Caught Mewtwo knows the Charged Attack Psystrike.
• In-person ticket holders: Guaranteed Mewtwo with both Counter and Psystrike.

If you’re building for PvP, Psystrike is the more valuable move historically.

Prioritize Mega Mewtwo Y raids at GO Fest Global if you’re on a limited pass budget. For raid teams, Counter is excellent coverage; consider splitting your 9 free passes across both forms across the two days.

Mega Energy Through Timed Research

Outside of raids, GO Fest Global players can also earn Mega Energy through dedicated Timed Research.

This is the secondary route to progression if your local raid scene is thin or you burn through your free passes early on Day 1.

See Also: The Pokémon Legends Z-A Hype Is Real and Here’s Why

“What’s Your Favorite?” Feature & New Trainer Rewards

The February 8 kickoff introduced a new in-game camera feature called “What’s Your Favorite?” that lets any Trainer, including those who haven’t logged in yet, take AR-style photos with almost any Pokémon in the game, even ones they haven’t caught. 

You don’t need the Pokémon in your collection. The only exclusions are costumed variants, Mega Evolved forms, and Max Pokémon.

Access it via the camera icon in the menu or through your item inventory. A built-in five-second countdown timer makes group shots easier and is useful at community day parks or GO Fest venues.

Download your photo, add stickers and frames, then post with #Pokemon30 for a chance to get featured by the official Pokémon GO channels.

New Trainer Special Research

New Trainers who take a photo using “What’s Your Favorite?” and then create and log into a Pokémon GO account within three days earn a Special Research reward: items, a Gengar encounter, and 100 PokéCoins.

This research doesn’t expire, so there’s no rush to complete tasks once claimed. The claim deadline was March 31, 2026, so this window has now closed for new signups.

Quick Tips from Day One Trainers

Surviving a season this massive requires strict inventory management and perfect timing. This is how we make the most of this anniversary grind by optimizing our daily routes and getting the most out of our premium items. 

1. Stack Daily Discoveries strategically. Monday is your GO Pass XP day; do your heaviest grinding then for the 2× GO Points bonus. Combine with raid wins for maximum rank progression.
2. Save special trades for Fridays during the season. The higher Lucky trade chance, reduced Stardust cost, and guaranteed Candy XL (Lv31+) stack into serious value on a single trading session.
3. The May 2 to 3 unlimited GO Points weekend is your Rank 100 safety net for the April pass. If you’re behind on Entei, do not waste that window on casual play.
4. GO Fest Global’s 9 free Raid Passes per day are earned through Gym Photo Disc spins, not handed out automatically. Spin every Gym you pass starting at 10 a.m. on July 11.
5. For F2P players, the free Global Fest plus the Volcanion research from “Pressure Rising” is genuine Mythical tier value at zero cost. Finish the “Glitz and Glam” storyline now so you’re not playing catch-up during July.
6. Don’t burn Premium Raid Passes before GO Fest Global. Hoard them. The combination of free daily passes and potentially Shiny Mega Mewtwo makes July 11 and 12 the highest value raid window of the entire year.

See Also: Ultimate Pokémon UNITE Tier List & Role Rankings

The Pokémon Go 10th Anniversary event and rewards are meant to reward all kinds of Trainers.

It doesn’t matter if you’re working hard to get Entei and Suicune in GO Pass Deluxe, looking for evolved-form shinies during the Memories in Motion season, or saving everything for Mega Mewtwo and Zeraora at GO Fest Global.

The free Global Fest is the single best decision Niantic has made for long-term community health. Finish your Pressure Rising research, stack your Raid Passes, and meet us on the map in July.