Scalpers Selling ‘Times Square Mewtwo’ For $10,000 On eBay

In a playful nod to the city’s double moniker, New York’s Times Square became the stage for a once‑in‑a‑decade Pokémon Go celebration, where the legendary Pokémon Mewtwo—known for its fierce reputation—was awarded to a handful of lucky participants.

Scopely orchestrated an exclusive gathering for roughly 2,000 community ambassadors, who were only informed of the venue on the evening itself. The players converged in the heart of Times Square to engage in a raid that mirrored the game’s iconic announcement trailer, and those who succeeded were rewarded with a Mewtwo that not only sported a unique Times Square backdrop but also boasted flawless “Hundo” stats, a rarity that has sparked intense interest among collectors.

While the invitation‑only format was intended to keep crowds manageable, many players felt the event contradicted Pokémon Go’s inclusive ethos, as in‑person gatherings rarely yield such powerful creatures. The resulting scarcity has already led to a surge of scalping activity online, with some listings pushing prices toward the $10,000 mark.

“I was one of the lucky few who got to experience the 10‑year celebration in person. It was an amazing experience,” tweeted @RaspberryWeiner, echoing the mixed feelings of the community about the event’s exclusivity and the subsequent market frenzy.

eBay has become a bustling marketplace for the coveted Manhattan Mewtwo, with most listings hovering around the $5,000 mark and a few debiting buyers double that amount. While posting the Pokémon on auction sites technically violates Pokémon Go’s terms of service, the temptation to cover rent can make the rule feel almost trivial. Brendan “LegoMasterBuild” Blyth, a reseller who initially listed the creature, later removed the offer and issued an apology. He reflected on the experience, praising Scopely and Pokémon Go for flawlessly executing the event and expressing a wish that everyone could have joined.

The frenzy extends beyond the game itself, as collectors and resellers scour for every Pokémon card, toy, and memorabilia, often resorting to scams or theft. The fever, far less intense at Pokémon Go’s 2016 launch, has only grown since the pandemic, as social media influencers and collectors have turned childhood memorabilia into high‑stakes speculative assets. Niantic, the original developer, has struggled to replicate that formula elsewhere—even with the Harry Potter franchise—and was ultimately sold to Scopely last year. Fans are furious that the milestone anniversary celebrations seemed to favor a handful of VIPs, but perhaps the more controversial issue is the alleged use of location data for military drone operations rather than the Mewtwo’s brief appearance at Bubba Gump Shrimp.