Pokémon Go Celebrates 10 Years with Its First Crossover Event Featuring the Pokémon Anime

A decade on, Pokémon Go continues to thrive, and Professor Willow is finally getting some well-deserved attention from the long-running Pokémon anime series. The Pokémon Company recently announced a crossover with the ongoing Pokémon Horizons anime.

The announcement was accompanied by a trailer showcasing a Pokémon Go player capturing a special Charmander from the anime, complete with a pair of goggles.

According to the Pokémon Go website, players can catch an exclusive Charmander sporting Friede’s goggles, which it retains even as it evolves into Charmeleon and Charizard. Event bonuses include Tier 1 of the Go Pass, which offers double candy for catching Pokémon, Tier 2 extending the duration of Regular Lure Modules to one hour while attracting the featured Pokémon, and Tier 3 providing extra Stardust for catching Hatenna and Wattrel.

One-Star Raids will feature Pikachu wearing Cap’s hat, while Three-Star Raids will include the event-exclusive Charizard, Meowscarada, Skeledirge, and Quaquaval. This crossover event runs from September 16 at 10 a.m. to September 22 at 8 p.m. local time.

Unlike many mobile games, Pokémon Go has maintained a significant level of popularity over the years, remaining one of the top 50 free games on the App Store. In March 2025, Niantic sold its video game division, including Pokémon Go, to Scopely in a $3.5 billion deal. Unfortunately, Scopely is owned by the Savvy Games Group, a division of the Saudi Arabian government’s Public Investment Fund. This acquisition has been linked to Saudi Arabia’s efforts to improve its global image, shifting perceptions from its controversial labor practices to a focus on entertainment.

Pokémon Horizons is the latest Pokémon TV series, having launched in 2023 and already boasting an impressive 136 episodes. A notable departure from its predecessors, this series does not feature Ash Ketchum as the main character. After finally achieving his long-term goal by winning the Pokémon World Championship in 2022, Ash has stepped aside. Horizons follows new protagonists Liko and Roy as they explore the Paldea region introduced in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The series is currently available for streaming.

This limited-edition collection comes with a significant price tag.