Niantic Labs is changing the way Remote Raid Passes work Pokémon GoLooking at the rumors on the Internet, it seems that many players are not very happy about this.
Starting April 6, the price of a pack of three Remote Raid Passes will cost 525 PokeCoins instead of 300 PokeCoins – a 75% price increase. The price of a single Raid Pass is also going up, and soon you’ll get 195 PokeCoins instead of 100 – a 95% increase.
But Niantic is going a step further, and soon, it’ll limit the number of ranged raids you can participate in in a 24-hour period. Currently, players can join any number of ranged raids; however, once April 6 rolls around, players will be limited to five per day. So much for hunting shiny, right?
Special event caps are subject to change and increases, Niantic said, without elaborating further. Additionally, it says the pass will be included in the pool of potential rewards for Research Breakthroughs, but you’ll still only be able to carry three Ranged Raid Passes in your bag.
If your ranged raid passes are maxed out, if you earn a pass from a research breakthrough, you’ll get a premium battle pass.
Fortunately, the company hasn’t changed the current overflow situation, which means that if you have two Ranged Raid Passes in your inventory and buy a three-pack, you’ll still be able to carry five.
For those who can raid in person, the store will be adding three packs of the Premium Battle Pass for 250 PokeCoins.
According to Ninatic, these changes “are designed to rebalance the game and ensure that trainers enjoy it for years to come.” Maybe, unless you have a disability and don’t have access to a specific gym, you can’t raid because of working hours, you don’t Drives, is underage, is introverted, suffers from depression, or lives in a remote area without many gyms or players to raid.
The company went on to say that since the pass launched in 2020, the Remote Raid Pass has begun to “dominate the experience of playing Pokemon GO in some way” due to COVID-19’s need for social distancing. Never thought about it. “
“We believe this change is necessary to the long-term health of the game and we do not make it lightly,” the company said. “We believe it is a necessary step toward our goal of maintaining and improving Playing Pokemon Go is a unique experience – we hope you continue to enjoy the game for long to come.”
To soften the blow, the company said it will start rewarding trainers who participate in five-star raids in-person with additional Candy XL, and plans to add other new features to “further motivate” in-person play.
Such a policy might seem trivial on the face of it, because, again, many people who love games can’t play with others in person. Let us also not forget that the threat of contracting the new coronavirus has not passed, it still hangs over our heads like the sword of Damocles, and it may fall on any of us at any time.
On a personal note, it’s hard for me to participate in raids in person, especially on raid nights from 6-7pm – prime dinner time. Usually, I don’t take more than six raids, because to get three passes, you have to buy a second tier of in-game currency, 550 PokeCoins, for a total of $4.99. That’s not to say I’m averse to spending money on games — far from it. Developers need a salary, and purchasing in-game currency and premium tickets to attend events helps pay their salary. Still, when you’re on a raid, putting in $5 multiple times for a raid adds up. The price increase would certainly deter a lot of people, I suppose, but how much incentive is there to go out and rob? That remains to be seen, but it won’t change the way I raid. I just don’t raid as much and thus spend less money.
Niantic says it plans to keep the Remote Raid Pass as part of Pokemon Go; however, it should reconsider the daily limit, especially for hardcore raiders who can spend money on the Remote Raid Pass without much trouble. These passes make money, and while Niantic’s primary goal (according to the company) is to help foster a sense of community among locals, it should also take into account the global community that plays the game, estimated at 150 million people.
Why change the status quo if players are enjoying a feature that, again, is making money for the company? If a company wants to increase the price of its product, that’s fine: many media prices increase regularly, but limit how loyal customers can play your game – well, that seems illogical to me.
