Hundreds of gamers gathered in New York's Times Square on Thursday to battle a giant Mewtwo – a reference to Pokémon Go's original trailer from over a decade ago. The event marked the mobile game's 10th anniversary, and among the crowd was UK content creator j0beats, who runs one of Twitch's biggest channels dedicated to the game. "People always think it's crazy that you travel all over just to catch some pixels," she laughs.
Released in 2016, Pokémon Go quickly became one of the biggest mobile game launches in history. The app uses GPS and augmented reality to overlay digital creatures onto a live view of the real world through a smartphone's camera, making it appear as though they're standing in front of the player. It sparked a craze where people flocked to parks, waterfronts and shopping malls in the hope of catching Pokémon.
“Pokémon Go marks 10 years with live events and millions of daily players worldwide.”
"By allowing you to take your mobile phone out into the world to discover virtual creatures, Pokémon Go helped realise the millennial dream of becoming a Pokémon Trainer," said Matthew Reynolds, editor of Pokémon news website One More Catch.
The game has been downloaded more than a billion times across iOS and Android devices, with millions still logging on each day. Its popularity has endured through major live events in more than 60 countries, averaging more than 400,000 attendees a year since the first Go Fest in 2017.
Michael Steranka, vice president of product at the game's publisher Scopely, says the experience has always been about bringing people together. "Pokémon Go will always start with community – we think we're only scratching the surface here," he said. "We often receive wedding invites from players who met through Pokémon Go... because it's been such an integral part of their relationship."
Scopely estimates players have explored over 100 billion kilometres while playing Pokémon Go – roughly 334 round trips between the Earth and the Sun. For j0beats, who regularly travels to events like the one in New York, the game's enduring appeal is about connection, not just catching virtual monsters. The 10th anniversary celebrations continue, with the game's community showing no signs of slowing down.