Pokémon Go 'Genetic Mastery' choose a path quest steps — Mega Mewtwo X or Y?

One of the biggest perks of Pokémon Go's Go Fest: Global 2026 event is the free Timed Research, "Genetic Mastery." This research is only available on July 11 and 12, but it gives you a free Mega Mewtwo of your choosing, so you should make sure to complete it while you can.

Below we list the steps to the Pokémon Go "Genetic Mastery" Timed Research for Go Fest: Global, as well as an explainer on if you should pick Mega Mewtwo X or Mega Mewtwo Y.

'Genetic Mastery' Special Research quest and steps

'Genetic Mastery' step 1 of 6

• Spin 5 PokéStops or gyms (6 Pinap Berries)
• Catch 10 Pokémon (26 Poké Balls)
• Make 3 great throws (6 Nanab Berries)

Rewards: 2,026 Stardust, Bouffalant encounter, 2,026 XP

'Genetic Mastery' step 2 of 6

• Power up Pokémon 10 times (1 Fast TM)
• Use a Fast TM (1 Charged TM)
• Use a Charged TM (3 potions)

Rewards: 26 Gastly Candy, Gengar encounter, 6 Gastly Candy XL

'Genetic Mastery' step 3 of 6

• Catch 20 different species of Pokémon (2 Incubators)
• Hatch 2 eggs (100 Gengar Mega Energy)
• Mega Evolve a Pokémon (1 Star Piece)

Rewards: 3 Rare Candy, Tropius encounter, 2,026 Stardust

After this step, you'll be tasked with choosing between two options: Mega Mewtwo X or Mega Mewtwo Y. You'll get Mega Energy for the specific form you pick. The Mewtwo you unlock from this research will also have the first level of Mega Evolution unlocked for the form you pick.

'Genetic Mastery' step 4 of 6

• Catch 3 psychic-type Pokémon (2,026 XP)
• Make 10 curveball throws (26 Great Balls)
• Complete 6 Field Research Tasks (2,026 Stardust)

Rewards: 300 Mewtwo X/Y Mega Energy, Mewtwo encounter, 26 Mewtwo Candy

'Genetic Mastery' step 5 of 6

• Mega Evolve Mewtwo (2,026 Stardust)
• Power up Psychic-type Pokémon 10 times (26 Ultra Balls)
• Win 3 raids using a team of all unique Pokémon species (1 Super Incubator)

Rewards: 2,026 Stardust, 6 Mewtwo Go Fest stickers, 2,026 XP

'Genetic Mastery' step 6 of 6

• Claim reward (2,026 XP)
• Claim reward (2,026 Stardust)
• Claim reward (2,026 XP)

Rewards: 3 Mewtwo Candy XL, 1 Elite Charged TM, 26 Mewtwo Candy

Should you pick Mega Mewtwo X or Mega Mewtwo Y?

There are a few things that can impact your decision here: your Go Fest playtime, Mewtwo's damage potential, and Mewtwo's possible Adventure Effects. Notably, the Mewtwo you get from this Timed Research will have the first Mega Level already unlocked.

For one, Mega Mewtwo X is only available in raids on Saturday, July 11, whereas Mega Mewtwo Y is only available via raids on Sunday, July 12. For Mega Mewtwo X, you will need the similarly named Mewtwo Mega Energy X. On the flip side, for Mega Mewtwo Y, you'll need Mewtwo Mega Energy Y. You can really only get these from raiding that type of Mewtwo and you need a tremendous amount of Mega Energy (7,500!) to Mega Evolve it the first time — and even more to power it up beyond that.

That being said, if you're only going to be able to play on Saturday, you may want to pick the Mega Mewtwo Y — that way you can build up energy from raiding to get your own Mega Mewtwo X, and then get the "free" Mega Mewtwo Y from research (or vice versa).

Image: Scopely

If you're looking for raw power, Mega Mewtwo Y is generally the stronger of the two, but only by a hair. Both of these are exceptional as psychic-type attackers, and the difference between them is near negligible. Both Mega Mewtwo types can be used as very strong attackers for other types, too, depending on its charged attack:

• Electric: Thunderbolt
• Ice: Ice Beam
• Fighting: Focus Blast
• Ghost: Shadow Ball

For these specialty types, Mega Mewtwo Y is stronger than Mega Mewtwo X, except for the fighting-type, where Mega Mewtwo X comes out on top, since it gains a fighting-typing. (Notably, Mega Lucario is stronger than Mega Mewtwo X as a fighting-type, so do with that what you will.)

So with all that out on the table, the answer is... it depends on when you're planning on playing more and what you want, specifically. Both Mega Mewtwo are very powerful and worth having, but they have their own perks and strengths.

According to datamines, Mega Mewtwo was also supposed to have a unique Adventure Effect that you can activate to get a special bonus, but Scopely Explore hasn't announced this formally, so we're not sure if this idea has been completely scrapped or if it's something coming after Go Fest (which would be weird). You can see the effects below, anyway:

• Mega Mewtwo X with Dynamic Punch: Allows you to break two shields in Super Mega Raids for 10 minutes.
• Mega Mewtwo Y with Future Sight: Reveals Pokémon with "high stats" before they are caught for 5 minutes.

Most players will find Mega Mewtwo Y's Adventure Effect more useful, but if you play in a quieter area with fewer players, being able to break two shields can go a long way (especially if there are other people with this effect active). That being said, it's possible that these Adventure Effects never see the light of day, so... (shrug)