Mew was secretly added to the original Pokémon games to sustain fan interest.
Mew was not part of the publicly advertised core roster in the same way as the other original Pokémon. Its hidden inclusion created rumors and myths among players, helping keep attention focused on the games after release.
The creature occupies National Pokédex number 0151, making it the final entry in the first generation’s original list. Unlike the ordinary starter and wild Pokémon, Mew was distributed through special events rather than obtained through the normal story in the initial releases.
Mew is often confused with Mewtwo because their names and designs are related. Mewtwo is a separate Pokémon created through genetic experimentation in the story, while Mew is the ancient mythical Pokémon secretly placed in the game data.