Highlights

  • Pokemon GO developer Niantic is sticking to remote raid restrictions, disappointing fans wanting change.
  • The company introduced remote raids during the pandemic, but now wants players to go outside.
  • Director Michael Steranka believes the changes have encouraged in-person community meetups.

A recent interview with the director of Pokemon GO has revealed that Niantic isn't going to lighten up on its remote raid restrictions. This news will likely be disappointing for a significant portion of the Pokemon GO community, which has been up in arms about the change since it went into effect about a year ago.

Pokemon GO remote raids were added to the game back in 2020, giving players a way to participate in the game's community-focused content without having to be around other people. It became a necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, as heading outside and being around others was dangerous, if not impossible, during periods of lockdown. Back in 2023, however, the community was in uproar when Niantic made remote raid passes more expensive and limited users to participating in five per day. Some fans have been consistent in demanding it to change back or otherwise improve for the past year, but it looks like they're out of luck based on a recent interview.

pokemon-go-celebration
Related
Lucky Pokemon GO Player Catches 2 Shinies in 1 Day Without Even Leaving Their House

A Pokemon GO player experiences some incredible good luck when they find two shiny Pokemon on the game within their own home.

Speaking with DotEsports, Pokemon GO director Michael Steranka spoke about the remote raid change and the reaction from the community. According to Steranka, the limitation on Pokemon GO remote raids has had the intended effect that the developer wanted to see. Namely, the company wanted fans to go back outside, start walking, and meet up with community members in real life. Steranka says that Niantic has "...seen more in-person communities coming back together again… local communities are flourishing in a way that we haven’t seen since pre-pandemic."

He emphasized that Niantic's goal with Pokemon GO has been, since the beginning, to encourage users to exercise and explore. Steranka himself was impacted by the change to remote raids, as he said that he used to participate in them frequently, but that he's since decided that it was the right decision. With the company believing that the changes have succeeded in achieving what it wanted, fans shouldn't hold their breath for major alterations to the way remote raids work in Pokemon GO.

The Call for Remote Raid Pass Changes

Some fans may be more understanding of the changes after this particular interview, but there are likely many who won't be happy. Some players were upset about the remote raid pass changes purely because of the change in price, which wasn't touched on. Others have found the app to be less fun to play because they live in rural areas where standard Pokemon GO raids are rare if not completely unavailable. However, it seems likely that unless Niantic's hand is forced by outside factors again, like another lockdown, that nothing will change in this regard for the foreseeable future.