Pokemon Go Players will have fewer opportunities to join the game’s raids remotely (at least “for free”) starting next week. Developer Niantic announced on Thursday that it plans to end the weekly distribution of cheap Remote Raid Passes that have been included in One-PokéCoin bundles for the past two years when the company added the new customization gameplay feature Pokemon Go on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
From May 23rd Pokemon GoThe in-game shop will no longer feature Remote Raid Passes in weekly One-PokéCoin event boxes, Niantic said in a post on the game’s official website. Instead, this cheap weekly box will feature “a rotating set of items,” Niantic said.
Announcing the change, Niantic says it’s “excited to be playing together again in person” and that it’s working on ways to “support players who are struggling to reach gyms” with “solutions like community leadership tools.” to organize local events and faster approval for new gyms.”
That Pokemon Go maker also says it will bring new social features to its mobile game in the coming months. These social characteristics have been when testing in a separate, standalone app and accessible to select players of another Niantic game, penetration
While Niantic’s promise of making it easier for players to coordinate meetings and access new gyms will likely help make the removal of low-cost Remote Raid Passes less stinging, the loss of another pandemic-era convenience will certainly be one cause an outcry. Players can still purchase Remote Raid Passes from the shop, but they cost 100 PokéCoins for a single pass and 250 coins for a three-pack. Players can earn up to 50 coins per day for free by holding gyms, or pay real money for bundles of coins.
Polygon sent some questions to Pokemon Go Live Game Director Michael Steranka on the changes and our email Q&A is below.
Polygon: For players who don’t use the external social features you want to bring in Pokemon Gocan you elaborate on what you’re hoping for from this for current players?
Michael Steranka: Meeting with other coaches is an important part of the Pokemon Go Experience, it’s partly what makes Pokemon Go unlike almost any other game. We know that newer Trainers, or even veteran Trainers who have been raiding mostly from home for the last two years, need to learn or relearn these skills and habits. We’re working on a number of social tools and features that will allow Trainers to easily see where other Trainers are playing and gathering, and signaling others where to fight or raid. Let’s say you’re traveling to a new city during Community Day and want to meet up with local trainers. Once these tools are ready, you can do it at a glance. I should add that privacy is vital to us, and all of these features are optional and can be fine-tuned, giving you the power to decide who you share what with and to what extent.
What is the reason for pulling Remote Raid Passes from 1 PokéCoin Event Boxes? Will there be other ways players can purchase them outside of the shop?
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Our goal is to shift the balance back toward the fun of personal raiding. Sales and discounts are very powerful ways to let Trainers know what types of loops to focus on at any given time. For example, if a breeding event is taking place, we can offer incubators. We want to use the 1-PokéCoin bundle to drive that, and use it to emphasize other types of gameplay.
Because of this, we’ve increased the rewards for meeting in person to complete challenging raid encounters. This is part of our returns process Pokemon Go
That doesn’t mean that remote raiding is going away as an option, as we recognize the convenience it brings to players. Our intent is to bring back the joy that can only be experienced in person, like catching your first Lugia in person at a gym with your friends.
Note that with this change there are no other ways to get free Remote Raid Passes. However, our goal is to make the store offerings for our events great value for money, and there’s a chance Remote Raid Passes will be included in these bundles in the future.
What kind of items can players expect from 1 PokéCoin Event Boxes in the future?
We’re planning to switch a variety of things through, so it’s hard to say definitively at this point. However, the rotating 1-PokéCoin bundle made its debut back in 2020 and has had many different permutations. These earlier versions are good references for where the bundle is likely to go.
Are there any other changes planned for raids, like the return of EX raids or ways to make them more convenient for players who may not be able to find people to join them?
Absolutely, and Niantic’s new social features I mentioned will play a big part here. I can’t reveal too much just yet as we’re releasing initial details at our Niantic Lightship event next week, but later this summer Trainers will have the tools to easily meet up with others for IRL Raid Battles and more.
