Pokemon GO Fest 2026 just recently kicked off in Tokyo, Japan, but for the rest of us, the rollout will be gradual depending on whether you plan to attend the Chicago or Copenhagen events or wait until July's Pokemon GO Fest Global. While there are many Pokémon that will be available as part of GO Fest, the one that seems to be the most hyped is Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y. In terms of meta relevance, both versions of Mega Mewtwo will be quite strong, and if leaked Mega Mewtwo stats are correct, they could be some of the best Pokémon in the game.
But some may have noticed that the cost associated with mega-evolving Mega Mewtwo X or Mega Mewtwo Y is much more significant than any other Mega Pokémon in the game. Some compare it to the cost associated with Eternat, arguably the best Dynamax Pokémon in the game. The cost to mega evolve Mewtwo into X or Y form for the first time will cost 7500 mega energy. It seems like a lot at first, 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 rather sneaky with it, and I actually think it's great.
Mega Mewtwo X and Y aren't as expensive as you think
See, one of the big differences with Mega Mewtwo Raids in Pokemon GO during Pokemon GO Fest 2026 is that players who complete any of the Super Mega Raids will have a chance to catch Mewtwo with the first mega level already unlocked. Additionally, there will also be a rare chance for Mewtwo from Super Mega Raids to have a second or third mega level unlocked, but it's unclear what the chance of getting this upgrade is.
What's interesting about this is the cost of Mewtwo's mega-evolution after unlocking this first level is on par with some of the other mega-evolutions in the game. Specifically, it looks like level 2 and level 3 unlocks will cost a lot less in mega energy, and I would expect it to be around the normal 5,000 energy to reach mega level 4. So it's really just the 7,500 mega energy unlock that's holding players back from getting access to one of the best Pokemon in Pokemon Go.
Being able to skip the initial mega energy cost greatly incentivizes players to use the new Mewtwo they catch during the Pokémon GO Fest, whether in a personal event or global, rather than any Mewtwo they may already have, be it shiny, 100% IV, or the ultra rare Shundo (shiny + 100%). Pokémon GO players will essentially begin their search for Mewtwo all over again.
This is a huge advantage for Pokémon GO as it means more players will be participating in super mega raids for Mewtwo X and Y. Niantic wants as many as possible to participate 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 Pokemon to break the shield and effectively complete the raid. Therefore, it wouldn't be surprising if Mega Mewtwo had a higher number of shields, maybe somewhere around 15 shields requiring 15 mega evolved Pokémon. With the current limit on Super Mega Raids being 20 people, this means a high barrier to entry if the population isn't that active during GO Fest.
So while you could very easily do enough super mega raids to get 7500 mega energy and call it a day, it seems more likely that players will be hunting Mewtwos who are either mega level 2 or mega level 3, or at the very least are mega level 1 and maybe shiny or have one of the unique GO Fest backgrounds. For my money, this is a really smart play by Niantic to get more players investing, which is crucial for GO Fest, which is set to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the hugely popular mobile game.
Why you should farm Mega Mewtwo in Super Mega Raids
Without the benefit of instantly unlocking mega level 1, the mega energy cost could be something that would put players off almost immediately, but now that seems to be 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'll be hunting shinys with good IVs for both my Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y.
Aside from Mega Mewtwos' high CP and strong stat values, their meta relevance as Raid attackers is pretty huge. Mega Mewtwo Y will be Pokemon GO's best psychic-type attacker once it enters the game, and Mega Mewtwo X will be one of the best fighting-type attackers when it enters the game. They also have meaning like other types depending on what moves you make on them.
While Mega Mewtwo is one of the main selling points for GO Fest 2026, it's not the only reason to attend this year's event. Zeroary's debut is exciting for a number of reasons, including its relevance once a mega-evolved form debuts. Tons of the most popular Pokémon in the game will be available in raids throughout Saturday and Sunday when the promotion is active. And of course, there's the chance to catch a Pokémon with a special themed background.
But if there's only one thing you can do during GO Fest, it's 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 you won't want to miss it. Just make sure you bring a mega evolved Pokemon to this Super Mega Raid.
