Pokémon Go is marking its tenth year with its first crossover with the Pokémon anime. The collaboration connects the mobile game with Pokémon Horizons, while giving Professor Willow a long-awaited place in the wider animated world.
The announcement included a trailer in which a player catches the anime’s distinctive Charmander, complete with its signature goggles. The collaboration was announced on X.
What the Pokémon Go event includes
The headline reward is an exclusive Charmander wearing Friede’s goggles. The accessory remains in place when the Pokémon evolves into Charmeleon and then Charizard.
The event’s Go Pass adds further bonuses across three tiers:
- Tier 1: Catching Pokémon awards double Candy.
- Tier 2: Regular Lure Modules run for one hour and may attract featured Pokémon.
- Tier 3: Catching Hatenna and Wattrel provides extra Stardust.
Raid encounters also receive an anime-themed update. One-Star Raids feature Pikachu wearing Cap’s hat, while Three-Star Raids include the event-exclusive Charizard, Meowscarada, Skeledirge and Quaquaval.
The crossover runs from 16 September at 10 am until 22 September at 8 pm, using local time. Full event details are available on the Pokémon Go website.
For readers who enjoy collecting and displaying game-inspired hardware, RETROCADE’s arcade machines and compact bartop arcades offer a dedicated way to bring gaming into a games room.
Why this crossover matters
After a decade, Pokémon Go remains one of the most popular free games on the App Store, an unusual level of staying power for a mobile release. Its continued audience gives this anime connection a much larger reach than a standard promotional event.
In March 2025, Niantic sold its video game division, including Pokémon Go, to Scopely for $3.5 billion. Scopely is owned by Savvy Games Group, a division of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The acquisition has drawn criticism because it forms part of broader efforts to associate Saudi Arabia with entertainment while scrutiny continues over working conditions for migrant labourers and other human rights concerns.
What is Pokémon Horizons?
Pokémon Horizons is the latest mainline Pokémon television series. It premiered in 2023 and has reached 136 episodes. Unlike the series that came before it, the show does not centre on Ash Ketchum.
Ash completed his long-running journey by winning the Pokémon World Championship in 2022. Horizons instead follows Liko and Roy as they travel through the Paldea region, first introduced in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. The series is currently streaming on Netflix.
For more gaming and arcade news, explore the RETROCADE arcade blog or compare options in the arcade machine buying guide.
Leave a Reply