Tim Cook is stepping down as the chief executive of Apple next week, and he is currently spending his final days preparing his successor for the top job. As part of this major transition, Cook brought a special guest to Apple Park to meet the incoming CEO, John Ternus. The iconic Pokémon character Pikachu stopped by the campus to help the team discuss the future of gaming.
Pikachu explores the campus while executives discuss upcoming gaming plans
Cook shared a video of the visit showing the famous character dancing under the rainbow arch and picking fruit from the campus orchard. The current chief executive noted on social media that the daily agenda was to introduce the Pokémon team to his successor and talk about gaming.
He also joked about asking Pikachu to stay out of the campus pond, noting that they only accomplished two out of their three goals. This is not the first time Cook has crossed paths with the mascot, as they previously met in Japan during a store reopening in September 2025.
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The fun visit highlights how important gaming remains for Apple and its ecosystem. With titles like Pokémon GO and Pokémon UNITE already popular on its devices, this meeting signals that the company plans to keep a strong relationship with major game developers as leadership changes hands.

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