With the app “Poke Genie”, players can remotely participate in raids in Pokémon GO. Now, the app introduces subscriptions that can be quite expensive. What do they offer?
What kind of app is this? Poke Genie is an app that allows you to connect for raids. This way, you can join raids worldwide that are only regionally available, or participate in those for which you have too few players.
Once registered, you can sign up for any raids. You enter a queue, and as soon as it’s your turn, the “host” of the raid on site can invite players once you have sent a friend request. Then you only need a remote raid pass as usual. Conversely, you can also register as a host and invite players yourself.
This is not an official app from Niantic like Campfire, but an external app. How exactly “Poke Genie” works is shown here by MeinMMO author Franzi Korittke.
Poke Genie shows three subscriptions with significant price differences
How much does Poke Genie cost? Basically, Poke Genie is free. However, the app introduced various additional subscriptions with the latest update in a “Raid Shop”.
This is what the app offers now: In the app, you can find the “Raid Shop” with various subscription models that you can optionally subscribe to. However, it is also possible to continue playing for free.
The subscriptions allow for faster wait times in some cases, but also other bonuses like matchmaking with better trainers. This can be useful against strong raid bosses – for example, with Mega Latios and Latias, players complained about having too weak teammates. An example of long wait times was the regional ultra beast Kaguron.
However, some of the subscriptions charge very high prices:
- The “Raid VIP” costs €3.49 per month
- Should provide 50% additional battle & host points. With these points, you can increase your respective battle or host level in the app, allowing you to get stronger teammates and shorter wait times.
- You can set a filter for weather boosts when searching for raids
- Group formation with “higher-value” trainers, according to the description
- A Raid VIP symbol in the lobby
- And one-time passes are discounted
- The “Raid Ultra” costs €21.99 per month
- According to the app, it is aimed at trainers who raid more than 30 times a week
- Offers “significantly shorter wait times” by allowing you to join the exclusive Raid Ultra queue
- There is priority access to “raids with limited availability” during times when hosting is frequent. This can occur, for example, at live events or with bosses that will soon be disappearing.
- A “Raid Ultra Symbol” in the lobby
- And all contents from “Raid VIP”
- The “Raid Master” costs €59.99 per month
- Should be for trainers who participate in raids more than 10 times a day
- Provides the “shortest possible” wait time through an exclusive Master queue
- Also provides priority access to “raids with limited availability”, during times when hosting is frequent
- There is a Raid Master symbol in the lobby
- And the contents from “Raid VIP”
Additionally, there are one-time passes, such as the “Raid Ultra Week Pass” for €11.99, which provides the same contents as the “Raid Ultra” subscription, but only for one week.
Moreover, there are Express Host tickets for €4.99 (1 hour) or €10.99 (3 hours), which provide reduced wait times when hosting, group formation with higher-value trainers, and 50% additional points.
In the Pokémon GO subreddit, the topic is already being intensively discussed (via reddit). Some players see the prices as too high and criticize the subscriptions significantly. Others point out that the base app remains free.
However, some players also express concerns that they might now have to expect longer wait times as free users if subscription players get preference. How the situation develops in the coming days remains to be seen.
What do you think about the topic? Do you use Poke Genie or a similar app for remote raids? And could you imagine paying such prices for a subscription? How do you evaluate the costs? Tell us in the comments!
A new season has begun in Pokémon GO. You can find all important information about “Mysterious Wishes” in our overview.
