Mobile Updates /
Pokémon GO Sends Pikachu Into Space With the European Space Agency
Niantic collaborates with the European Space Agency for World Space Week, placing Astronaut Pikachu in European space museums through October 10.
Key facts
- Topic:
- Mobile Updates
- Published:
- 2026-10-07
- Reported by:
- Gameforce Mobile News Desk
Key takeaways
- Niantic and ESA partner for World Space Week to feature Astronaut Pikachu in European science museums.
- Players can encounter Astronaut Pikachu via one-star raids and themed Timed Research through October 10.
- Long-term educational partnership activities will continue between Pokémon and ESA through April 30, 2027.
Pokémon GO has teamed up with the European Space Agency for World Space Week, putting a special Astronaut Pikachu into selected science and space museums across Europe through October 10. The collaboration is inspired by a Pikachu plush that recently spent 67 days in orbit, which is arguably an unnecessarily elaborate way of unlocking a costume. Players visiting participating museums can encounter Astronaut Pikachu through one-star raids and themed Timed Research, with a chance of finding a Shiny version.
The collaboration is more interesting than another costume Pokémon because it neatly returns Pokémon GO to the idea that made it culturally fascinating in the first place: using a phone game as an excuse to visit actual places. ESA and Pokémon are also planning further educational activities extending through April 30, 2027. The current World Space Week portion remains deliberately location-based rather than simply appearing everywhere on the map, so players will need to visit participating institutions.
Pokémon GO has spent ten years proving that people will walk considerable distances for unusually dressed electric rodents. ESA has apparently decided this can also be used for science outreach. Frankly, it is difficult to argue with the methodology.
