Pokémon Go partners with European Space Agency for space-themed event

• Astronaut Pikachu will appear in one-star raids at six participating museums.
• Seven ESA locations will host the gameplay from October 4th to October 10th.
• Timed Research will remain available at participating museums throughout the event.

Pokémon Go has partnered with the European Space Agency (ESA) for a space-themed event across Europe from October 4th 2026 to April 30th 2027.

Trainers visiting six participating museums will be able to encounter Astronaut Pikachu and access event-themed gameplay. 

The locations include the Science Museum in London, Cité de l’espace in Toulouse, Deutsches Museum in Nuremberg, Museu de les Ciències in València, Space Expo in Noordwijk and Euro Space Centre in Transinne.

Astronaut Pikachu

Astronaut Pikachu will appear in one-star raids at the participating museums, with successful in-person players able to catch it with a special Location Background. Shiny encounters will also be possible.

Timed Research will be available at the museums throughout the event, offering rewards and encounters with event-themed Pokémon. 

From October 4th to October 10th, participating museums will also offer event-themed Field Research and increased wild encounters for Pokémon including Pikachu, Clefairy, Magnemite, Starmie, Lunatone, Solrock, Elgyem and Blipbug.

The same gameplay, excluding Location Backgrounds, will also be available at seven ESA locations across Europe from October 4th to October 10th.

The collaboration echoes Rovio’s 2012 partnership with NASA on Angry Birds Space, which used the game to introduce players to concepts around space physics and exploration.

We discussed how Angry Birds went to space, and various other partnerships, with former Rovio marketing director Marja Konttinenm, ex-Rovio VP of global consumer products licensing Naz Amarchi-Cuevas and Big Karma CEO and The Slingshot Formula: How Angry Birds Launched Their Way from Indie Game to Global Icon author Pascal Clarysse here.