Armored Mewtwo Returns to Pokemon GO on September 5 in Five-Star Raids
Armored Mewtwo is back in Pokemon GO for the first time in six years, appearing in five-star raids on Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time on both days. The raids run on Android and iOS as part of Pokemon GO Fest 2026: Mega Finale, a global event that does not require a paid ticket to join.
The return was announced at the 2026 Pokemon World Championships in San Francisco. Niantic has confirmed one detail that matters before you spend a Raid Pass: there is no Shiny version this time.
When Armored Mewtwo raids start in Pokemon GO
Armored Mewtwo occupies the five-star raid slot for the whole event window, both days, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in your own time zone. That is 16 hours of raid time in total, which is unusually generous for a Pokemon that has been absent since 2020.
Shiny Armored Mewtwo will not be available during the event. If you already caught one during its 2019 run, the only reason to raid again is a better IV spread or a second copy for your Master League roster.
Remote Raid Passes have no daily limit across the event weekend, so you can chain raids from home without hitting the usual cap. That single bonus is the difference between two or three attempts and a genuine grind for a high-IV catch.
What else is in the Mega Finale weekend
The Armored Mewtwo raids sit alongside a separate Super Mega Raid rotation. Mega Mewtwo X takes Saturday, Mega Mewtwo Y takes Sunday, and both can be Shiny, unlike their armoured cousin. Eight habitats rotate across the weekend, four each day in two time windows, each with its own wild spawns and Mega Raid bosses.
Three Kalos first partners get their Mega Evolutions here for the first time:
- Mega Chesnaught, with the new charged attack Seed Bomb+
- Mega Delphox, with Mystical Fire+
- Mega Greninja, with Surf+
Mega Raichu X and Y, Mega Skarmory, Mega Falinks, Mega Starmie, Mega Victreebel, Mega Malamar and Mega Dragonite also pick up new charged attacks during the event. Every Mega-Evolved Pokemon gets an extra CP boost for the weekend.
The two Adventure Effects worth planning around
Both Mega Mewtwo forms gain an Adventure Effect, and they do very different jobs. Dynamic Punch+ on Mega Mewtwo X raises damage against Mega-Evolved Pokemon in raids and can break two shields at once in Super Mega Raids. Future Sight+ on Mega Mewtwo Y flags Pokemon that will appraise at three stars or higher, giving high-stat encounters a visible glow before you catch them.
The second one is the quiet standout. An IV filter you can walk around with changes how much time you waste on catches that were never going to be worth keeping, and it works outside the event weekend too.
Do you need to pay anything
No. The Mega Finale is unticketed worldwide and a free GO Pass: Mega Finale is available to everyone. The optional GO Pass Deluxe upgrade is a paid add-on priced by region, and it adds bonus Candy, Candy XL and XP from Mega Raids plus an increased Shiny encounter rate. None of that affects Armored Mewtwo, which has no Shiny form here regardless of which pass you hold.
The lead-in period, Mega Ascension, runs from today through Friday 4 September, so this is the week to bank Mega Energy rather than spend it. If you are stockpiling raid materials on an older handset, our round-up of the best Android games for low-end phones and 2GB of RAM covers which titles stay playable when Pokemon GO is already eating your battery.
How this fits the rest of the Pokemon calendar
Niantic has been running dense event weeks all summer. The Water Festival brought Arrokuda, Cramorant and up to 5x Stardust, and the Explorer Gadget added a free auto-catcher for Level 20 trainers, which is worth having equipped across a raid-heavy weekend.
Outside Pokemon GO, the Worlds closing ceremony also confirmed that Pokemon Champions adds Z Mega Evolutions on 9 September, four days after the Mega Finale ends. September is stacked either way.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I catch Armored Mewtwo in Pokemon GO?
Armored Mewtwo appears in five-star raids on Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time on both days. It is part of Pokemon GO Fest 2026: Mega Finale and is available worldwide on Android and iOS.
Can Armored Mewtwo be Shiny?
No. Niantic has confirmed that Shiny Armored Mewtwo will not be available during this event. Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y, which appear in Super Mega Raids on Saturday and Sunday respectively, can both be Shiny.
Do I need a ticket for Pokemon GO Fest 2026: Mega Finale?
No ticket is required. The Mega Finale is an unticketed global event and every player gets the free GO Pass: Mega Finale. A paid GO Pass Deluxe upgrade is optional and adds bonus Candy, Candy XL, XP and a higher Shiny rate, but it does not unlock a Shiny Armored Mewtwo.
Is there a Remote Raid limit during the Mega Finale?
No. Remote Raids have no daily cap for the duration of the event weekend, so you can raid Armored Mewtwo repeatedly from home. Every Mega-Evolved Pokemon also gets an extra CP boost across the two days.
What do the new Mega Mewtwo Adventure Effects do?
Dynamic Punch+ on Mega Mewtwo X increases damage against Mega-Evolved Pokemon in raids and can break two shields at once in Super Mega Raids. Future Sight+ on Mega Mewtwo Y makes Pokemon that will appraise at three stars or higher glow before you catch them.
