At last year’s Pokémon Go Fest in Paris, Michael Steranka – who was a senior product director for the game then – hinted that the game’s 10th anniversary celebration would be an amazing experience for fans.
A year after its launch, Pokémon GO is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Copenhagen. Developer Steranka predicted big things for the game, and it’s clear those predictions have come true.
Go Fest is designed to showcase everything great about Pokémon Go, and this year’s event is particularly focused on celebrating the city it’s being held in.
To get a preview of the European events, Pokémon Go sent TopMob Gaming to Copenhagen for the weekend festival, which took place in the beautiful Fælledparken and throughout the city.
We had the chance to speak with Lena Cillis, Niantic’s Marketing Manager for Live Events in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She explained how building a strong community has become even more crucial for the game over time, and why attending Go Fest is a worthwhile investment if you’re interested in future events.
What’s the deal with Pokémon Go Fest?
Pokémon Go Fest is an annual event celebrating the popular mobile game Pokémon Go and the entire Pokémon universe. It takes place in several countries before a worldwide version opens up to all players.
With Pokémon Go Fest events happening all over the world and attracting so many players, it’s difficult to hold one event in a single city. To accommodate everyone, the 2026 events will be split into three main locations: Chicago for players in the US, Tokyo for Japan, and Copenhagen, Denmark for Europe.
Attending any of the three annual events gives you about a month-long preview of what to expect at Go Fest—including detailed research tasks, challenging Raids, special Pokémon versions, and other new features that are introduced each year, some of which are only available at the in-person events.
The 2026 event continues the tradition of exciting updates, and this year it’s extra special as it celebrates the game’s 10th anniversary. By finishing the main Special Research storyline, players can unlock the Mythical Pokémon Zeraora (an Electric-type from Generation VII). Plus, GO Fest will be the first time players can battle and Mega Evolve Mewtwo into both Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y – but these powerful forms will only appear in the new Super Mega Raids at the end of each event session in the park.
Mewtwo, historically the strongest of the original 151 Pokémon, is a fantastic addition to Pokémon GO’s 10th anniversary celebration, especially with the chance to Mega Evolve it within the game for the very first time.
Plus, while you had to wait until the last thirty minutes of each four-hour session to fight Mega Mewtwo X or Y, regular raids with Mewtwo as the boss were available all day. This meant you could still collect Candy or do as many raids as possible to try and catch a Mewtwo with perfect stats, or even a rare, green Shiny version if that’s what you were after.
Why it’s the perfect vacation for Pokémon fans
Players who weren’t able to attend a live Pokémon Go Fest event will have a chance to get special Mewtwo, Zeraora, and Pikachu (wearing unique team hats) during Go Fest: Global, which runs from July 11th to 12th.
This year, Go Fest: Global is completely free! That means anyone can join and enjoy all the event’s benefits right away, with no cost to participate.
It’s easy to see why Pokémon Go players thinking about going to an in-person Go Fest would wonder if it’s worth the cost. Why spend money on travel and hotels when they could likely get similar rewards later, either for free or at a much lower price?
Want to see this content?
This page uses a security feature called Google reCAPTCHA. Before it loads, we need your permission because reCAPTCHA might use cookies and similar technologies. If you want to see the content, please select ‘Accept and continue’ to enable reCAPTCHA.
The real reason attending an international Go Fest is so valuable comes down to this: it’s not just about exclusive events and getting a head start on Legendary Raids. It’s also the chance to experience a new and exciting city alongside thousands of fellow Pokémon GO players.
Niantic’s Lena Cillis explained that Pokémon Go is special because it connects people. The game is easy for anyone to pick up and play, and events like Pokémon Go Fest really highlight that, bringing the community together – which is what the game is all about.
During my three and a half days in Copenhagen, experiencing both the in-game events and the real-world celebrations, a strong sense of community consistently emerged. This feeling really highlighted why the game is currently at its best.
A perfect example of this happened during the thirty-minute Super Mega Raids where you battle and catch a powerful, higher-level Mega Mewtwo.
The event was held in the middle of Copenhagen’s Fælledparken, so organizers anticipated a few hundred participants. However, they were surprised when over 2,000 players joined the Super Mega Raids against Mega Mewtwo on Saturday.
There’s a certain satisfaction in quickly defeating the powerful, genetically engineered Pokémon in raids. These Mega Mewtwo raids, which drew thousands of players, also showcased a new feature in Pokémon Go called Unity Raids. In these raids, players need to work together, simultaneously raising their devices to break through the boss Pokémon’s shield and deliver the final, decisive attack.
Chillis shared that players felt a strong sense of achievement after participating in Super Mega Raids. But seeing over 2,000 Trainers simultaneously raise their phones was especially impactful – it reminded him of the iconic Spirit Bomb scene from Dragon Ball Z and perfectly illustrated the joy of fans collaborating and having fun together.
It really brought back memories of the summer of 2016, when Pokémon Go first launched – a truly amazing time for gaming, with so many people playing together.
A curated Pokémon experience
Even if you usually play Pokémon Go solo or with a small group, attending a live Go Fest is still a great experience. Niantic and their teams create fun, interactive areas and challenges in each park that are worth checking out.
The expansive Fælledparken was cleverly divided into different areas within the game, each offering unique gameplay. The main field became a ‘Recruitment Zone’ for regular Raids and rewards, while the Conservatory Zone boosted the variety of wild Pokémon available. A beautiful ‘Cultivation Zone’ provided opportunities for Pokémon-focused Special Research amongst the flowers, and Team Rocket’s Hideout was filled with challenging Rocket Battles and Shadow Raids, allowing players to catch extra Legendary Pokémon – I personally obtained Entei, Moltres, and even Primal Kyogre there.
Even outside of Pokémon battles, or during the daily hour-long breaks, the event organizers ensure there are always activities and things to do to keep attendees entertained.
You can enjoy lots of fun activities, like meeting Pikachu and Eevee, seeing the giant Pikachu inflatable, and even encountering a famous player from the game. There are also pub-style quizzes and a new Lego building area where you can create anything you imagine, compete to win Pokemon Lego sets, or build a free Lego Poke Ball – I made one myself!
While each Pokémon Go Fest won’t be quite as spectacular as the one before, last year’s event in Paris was exceptional. The beautiful Parc de Sceaux provided a stunning and perfectly designed setting that really enhanced the game’s festival zones – it truly felt like playing within a work of art. This year’s location, Fælledparken, didn’t feel as cohesive or well-planned by comparison.
Putting on Go Fest is a huge undertaking, and each year presents unique challenges, as Cillis pointed out. It’s simply unrealistic to expect a perfect event every time, especially since it’s held in a different city annually. Even with the help of local experts, it’s difficult to find a location that excels in every area – the park itself, the city’s overall appeal, and convenient transportation between them.
So far, Copenhagen’s Go Fest has been the best one. Having more time there, compared to last year’s event in Paris, really highlighted why the European Go Fest is the strongest of the three.
Why Go Fest: Europe beats the US & Japan
Because the United States and Japan are both large countries with many regions, each year’s Go Fest event in these locations takes place in a different state or area within those countries. They never host the event in the same location two years running.
Pokémon Go Fest: Europe is especially appealing if you’re looking for more than just the game itself – it offers the opportunity to explore a new country and experience a different culture each year. Of course, it’s still fantastic if you love America or Japan, or haven’t been able to visit them yet!
Given the size of the event space at Go Fest: Europe, you should be able to experience everything the park offers within a single day. After that, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the city and enjoy the other special activities Pokémon Go has planned.
Similar to Fælledparken, Copenhagen was divided into four distinct areas within the game, each offering unique Timed Research quests to earn Expert Badges and additional prizes.
One of the best things about Pokémon Go Fest is how it encourages exploration. Not only do you meet other players, but you’re also motivated to discover all the beautiful and interesting places Copenhagen has to offer – its sights, architecture, and history – while enjoying a unique Pokémon Go experience you won’t find anywhere else.
Copenhagen’s excellent public transportation – including metros, buses, and taxis – made it even easier to get around than Paris.
The trip truly came together for me on the last day when I took a quick 10-minute Metro ride to Nyhavn Harbor. It was stunning – a beautiful 17th-century waterfront filled with colorful buildings, restaurants, and bars, all overlooking the canal and its traditional wooden boats.
While enjoying the Pokémon Go event in the designated ‘Friendship District’, I was able to make progress on special research tasks, ask visitors for pictures, and even catch a Pikachu wearing a Team Valor hat!
Pokémon Go Fest: Europe offers a unique experience each year by hosting its event in a different European city. It’s like getting early access to exciting Pokémon Go updates and planning a trip, all rolled into one! Plus, it’s a fantastic way to connect with other players and make new friends.
Hopefully, we can convince Niantic to go with Krakow or Amsterdam for next year.
Read more on Pokémon:
- Best Pokémon gifts – the greatest merch
- Best Pokémon games on Switch – our ranking
- Best shiny Pokémon – the coolest creatures
- Best Dragon-type Pokémon – who’s your fave?
- All cat Pokémon – the felines to catch
- Pokémon natures guide – all you need to know
- Pokémon type chart – strengths and weaknesses explained
- Legendary Pokémon – the full list
- Pokémon Scarlet and Violet cheats – handy hacks
- Pokémon Emerald cheats – what you need to know
- Pokémon Fire Red cheats – all codes
- Pokémon Go friend codes – and how to find them
- Pokémon games in order – where to start
Authors
Read More
- PI PREDICTION. PI cryptocurrency
- USD THB PREDICTION
- USD CHF PREDICTION
- Brent Oil Forecast
- USD BRL PREDICTION
- USD MYR PREDICTION
- USD HKD PREDICTION
- USD MXN PREDICTION
- USD JPY PREDICTION
- EUR TRY PREDICTION
2026-06-17 21:39