Pokémon GO Fest 2026 has recently kicked off in Tokyo, Japan, but for the rest of us, the rollout will be gradual, depending on whether you plan to visit the events in Chicago or Copenhagen or wait until Pokémon GO Fest Global in July. While there are many Pokémon that will be available as part of GO Fest, the one that seems to be the most excited is Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y. In terms of Meta relevance, both versions of Mega Mewtwo will be quite potent, and if the leaked information about Mega Mewtwo's stats is correct, they could be some of the best game Pokémon.
However, some may have noticed that the costs associated with mega-evolving Mega Mewtwo X or Mega Mewtwo Y are much more significant than any of the other Mega Pokémon in the game. Some equate it to the cost associated with Eternatus, arguably the best Dynamax Pokemon in the game. The cost to mega evolve Mewtwo the first time into either X or Y form will cost 7,500 Mega Energy. At first glance, this seems like a lot, especially when you consider that players only get around 450 Mega Energy for each raid they complete, but Niantic and Scopely are actually doing something a little sneaky with this, and I actually think it's pretty brilliant.
Mega Mewtwo X and Y aren't as expensive as you think
See, one of the big differences with the Mega Mewtwo Raids in Pokémon GO during Pokémon GO Fest 2026 is that players who complete any of the Super Mega Raids will have a chance to catch a Mewtwo with its first Mega Level already unlocked. In addition to that, there will also be a rare chance that Mewtwo from Super Mega Raids will either have his second or third mega level unlocked, but it's unclear what the odds of getting that upgrade are.
What's interesting about it is that the cost to mega-evolve Mewtwo after unlocking the first level is on par with some of the other mega-evolutions in the game. Specifically, it looks like it will cost a lot less in mega energy to unlock level 2 and level 3, and I would expect it to be around the normal 5,000 energy to reach mega level 4. So really, it's only that 7,500 mega energy unlock that stands in the way of players getting access to one of the best Pokémon in Pokémon GO.
Being able to skip the initial mega energy cost strongly incentivizes players to use the new Mewtwo they catch during Pokémon GO Fest, either at an in-person event or globally, and not any Mewtwo they may already have, be it a shiny, a 100% IV, or the extremely rare Shundo (shiny+100%). Essentially, Pokemon GO players will start all over again in their hunt for Mewtwo.
For Pokémon GO, this is a huge boon as it means more players will be participating in the super mega raids for Mewtwo X and Y. Niantic wants as many players as possible as it sounds like these super mega raids could be the most challenging we've seen yet. For the GO Tour, Mega Dragonite Super Mega Raids required at least 12 mega evolved Pokémon to break the shield and effectively complete the raid. Therefore, it wouldn't be surprising to see Mega Mewtwo have a higher number of shields, perhaps somewhere around 15 shields requiring 15 mega evolved Pokémon. With the current limit for Super Mega Raids at 20 people, it means a high barrier to entry if the population is not as active during GO Fest.
So while you could very easily just do enough super mega raids to get 7,500 mega energy and call it a day, it seems more likely that players will hunt Mewtwo that is either mega level 2 or mega level 3, or at least mega level 1 and maybe a shiny or has one of the unique GO Fest backgrounds. For my money, it's a really smart play by Niantic to get more players invested, which is crucial for a GO Fest meant to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the massively popular mobile game.
Why you should farm Mega Mewtwo in Super Mega Raids
Without the benefit of the instant mega level 1 unlock, the mega energy cost might have been something that would have turned players off almost immediately, but now it seems like that is the biggest incentive to participate in Super Mega Raids now rather than waiting for potential Super Mega Raids with Mega Mewtwo in the future. I know I will be hunting shinies with good IV for both my Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y.
In addition to Mega Mewtwo's high CP and strong stats, their Meta relevance as Raid attackers is quite huge. Mega Mewtwo Y will be the best psychic-type Pokémon GO attacker once it enters the game, and Mega Mewtwo X will be one of the best fighting-type attackers once it enters the game. They also have relevance like other types, depending on what moves you put on them.
While Mega Mewtwo is one of the big selling points for GO Fest 2026, it's hardly the only reason to attend this year's event. The debut of Zeroara is exciting for many reasons, including its relevance as the mega-evolved form debuts. Tons of the most popular Pokémon in the game will be available in raids throughout the Saturday and Sunday that the event is active. And of course, there is the possibility of catching Pokémon with a special background.
But if there's only one thing to do during GO Fest it's to participate in Mega Mewtwo Super Mega Raids, ideal for both X and Y but if you have to choose I'd focus on Y. Mega Mewtwo Y is going to be one of the best Pokemon in the game and one you don't want to miss. Just make sure you bring a mega-evolved Pokémon with you in that Super Mega Raid.
