Pikachu Crashes Apple Park, Bringing Gaming Talk Ahead of Tim Cook's Handover

Tim Cook welcomed Nintendo's Pokémon team and a life-size Pikachu to Apple Park for a visit that combined succession planning, gaming talk, and a playful cameo. The event occurred on August 27, just two weeks before Cook hands over the reins as CEO to John Ternus.

Cook took to X to share a video of the visit, joking that only two out of three agenda items were accomplished: introducing the Pokémon team to Ternus and discussing gaming. The third item was politely asking Pikachu to stay out of the pond at Apple Park.

The visit holds significance as Ternus prepares to take over as CEO on September 1. He will succeed Cook, who will become executive chairman and remain involved with the company. Ternus has been with Apple since 2001 and has overseen hardware engineering across products including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for Cook to reminisce about a previous trip to Japan in September 2025, where he met Pokémon during a visit to Bandai Namco. Gaming has been a key area of focus for Apple, with the company expanding its offerings through Apple Arcade, which now features over 200 games without ads or in-app purchases.