Pokémon GO Ties Digital Event to Physical Card Game Launch

Pokémon GO is rolling out a monthlong in-game event tied to the release of a new physical trading card game product, the latest example of how Niantic Inc.'s popular mobile title continues to blend digital gameplay with real-world retail engagement.

The "Mega Lucario ex Release Celebration," running Nov. 7-30, will offer players special research tasks and raid battles, but only to those who visit participating brick-and-mortar stores. The event coincides with the launch of the Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection at retailers including Best Buy, GameStop and Target in the U.S., as well as EB Games locations in Canada and Australia.

Players who open the app at these locations will unlock timed research challenges that reward increased experience points, in-game currency called Stardust, and a guaranteed encounter with the fighting-type Pokémon Lucario, according to the official Pokémon GO blog. The featured Mega Lucario will also appear more frequently in cooperative raid battles at these same locations.

Target is offering an additional incentive: customers who purchase Pokémon GO gift cards between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 will receive an exclusive Lucario mask cosmetic item for their in-game avatar.

How Pokémon GO and Trading Card Game Collaborations Drive Retail Traffic

The promotion represents the latest crossover between Niantic's augmented-reality game, which launched in 2016, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game. In 2022, The Pokémon Company released a physical card set themed around Pokémon GO that incorporated mobile-game elements like PokéStops into the traditional card game.

Niantic has increasingly used retail partnerships to drive foot traffic, with many stores serving as PokéStops, or in-game locations where players can collect items. The strategy comes as the company seeks to maintain engagement for its flagship title, which generated approximately $545 million in revenue in 2024, according to industry estimates, down from its peak of over $1 billion in 2020.

The event adds to an already packed schedule for players. Pokémon GO is currently in its "Tales of Transformation" season, which has introduced Mega Metagross and new Pokémon including Poltchageist. The game's next Community Day, a monthly event featuring special spawns and bonuses, is set for Nov. 30, though the featured Pokémon hasn't been announced.

The timing aligns with a busy period for the broader Pokémon franchise. The trading card game is preparing to launch its "Phantasmal Flames" expansion, which will feature Mega Charizard X, while Pokémon GO plans its "Enchanted Hollow" event for later in November.