When Is Mewtwo Coming to ‘Pokemon Go’ in Exclusive Raids?

Niantic

Mewtwo was released as a raid boss for the Pokemon Stadium event in Yokohama, Japan on August 14, but he’s not in raid battles everywhere yet. In the near future, Mewtwo will also be available via Pokemon Go‘s exclusive raids. But when is that going to happen?

Niantic hasn’t given an exact date, so trainers are gathering clues from information that’s been released. Here’s what we know so far.

A Pokemon email newsletter seemed to hint that we’ll be waiting until August 31 or the day after to see Mewtwo and receive exclusive raid invitations. But other trainers think the invitations could be be appearing any time.

The email was shared on Reddit by Redditor ballybomb. See it below:

Reddit/ballybomb

The letter reads:

The Legendary Pokemon Mewtwo is coming to Pokemon GO in new Exclusive Raid Battles. In the meantime, Aritcuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Lugia will be available in Raid Battles for a limited time! Get all the details at Pokemon.co.uk.”

On August 14, Pokemon Go announced the coming of Mewtwo in exclusive raids, and that the Legendary birds would be available through August 31. So trainers are thinking that, considering the wording of the UK email, Mewtwo likely will be introduced in exclusive raids on August 31 or September 1.

This would indeed match with previous Legendary introductions, which didn’t happen until the previous Legendary had been retired.

It would also match Mewtwo’s story in the Pokemon Mansion journals. These are diary entries “written” by a Pokemon researcher talking about the creation and escape of Mewtwo. The journals are available in the Generation 1 games. According to the journals, Mew was discovered in the jungle on July 5. On Feb. 5, Mew gave birth to Mewtwo (i.e. Mewtwo was cloned from Mew.) On Sept. 1, a diary entry read that Mewtwo was too powerful and couldn’t be controlled: “MEWTWO is far too powerful. We have failed to curb its vicious tendencies…” The Japanese translation read: “The Pokémon Mewtwo is far too powerful. It’s no use… I cannot control it!”

Others think Mewtwo might appear earlier and have no connection to the Gen 1 games, because Pokemon Go’s website stated on Aug. 14:

Mewtwo is the first Pokémon that Trainers will be able to face in Exclusive Raid Battles, but other powerful Pokémon may also start to hatch from the Raid Eggs found at Exclusive Raid Battles over the next several weeks.”

This seems to indicate that Mewtwo’s exclusive raids could begin sooner than August 31, any time “over the next several weeks” (from August 14). Of course, that wording also leaves open the possibility that it won’t start until August 31 or later.

There will be advance notice before the exclusive raids begin. Trainers will get an invitation and advance warning of when the raids will take place. So far, no trainers on either Reddit community have mentioned getting an invitation.

As Pokemon Go explains on their website:

Exclusive raids will periodically appear at Gyms around the world; however, unlike existing raids, Trainers will be invited to join an Exclusive Raid Battle. To receive an invitation to participate in an Exclusive Raid Battle, Trainers must have successfully completed a raid recently, by defeating the Raid Boss, at the Gym where the Exclusive Raid Battle will be taking place. The invitations will include advance warning of when the Exclusive Raid will take place, giving them ample time to coordinate with other Trainers before taking on the powerful Raid Boss.

So how can you be among the first to know when these invitations are being sent out and Mewtwo will appear? The best bet is by following Pokemon Go on Twitter and by following The Silph Road on Twitter too.

Have you received an invitation to an exclusive raid with Mewtwo? Let us know in the comments below.