There is a new development regarding Pokémon GO about the Remote Raid Pass. Many players view the announced changes critically and are calling on developer Niantic in an open letter to reconsider the adjustments.
Pokémon GO introduced so-called Remote Raids during the Corona pandemic, allowing players to participate in raids from their couch. There were several measures back then to respond to the pandemic situation.
These measures are largely also comfort features. Now, Pokémon GO is scaling back these features, which is not the first time it has met with significant resistance in the community.
Now the Remote Raids are set to change and there will also be a price increase. Here you can find more information about the new Remote Raids, which are supposed to take effect from April 6.
There is even already a petition with several 10,000 signatures that aims to oppose the adjustments.
The next escalation is an open letter that has been shared, among other places, on Reddit to gain more attention from the developers (via reddit.com).
This particularly concerns the limitation of 5 usable Remote Raid Passes in one day:
We disagree with your decision and the majority of us wants you to know that the “limitation of Remote Raids to 5 runs per day” will harm some players:
- Rural trainers who lack adequate support from the local community
- Trainers with disabilities who cannot physically go outside to play
- Trainers who suffer from severe social anxiety and have mental difficulties going outside to participate in raids
- Trainers who work night shifts and cannot participate during the day
- Single parents who manage children, a household, and a career with minimal time
And most importantly, the Remote Raid changes will restrict our global interaction with our trainers with whom we have built close relationships over the past 3 years.
From the open letter via Reddit
Players see the Remote Raid Passes as more than just a comfort feature. It has become an important feature that enabled new ways of playing. It is argued that if developer Niantic really wanted players to go outside more, there would be other tools – including bonuses for regular raids without a remote pass.
The thread on Reddit also counts many content creators who support the open letter. Alone on Reddit, 1,600 users gave the thread a thumbs up within 4 hours – with a rising trend.
Unlike previous actions, however, the open letter does not call for a boycott. They want to be heard and hope for a response and changes.
What do you think of the letter and the topic of Remote Raid changes? Leave a comment on the topic.
If you also want to inform yourself about the current field research, check here: Pokémon GO: Field Research in April 2023 – All Shinys at a glance
