Just as dataminers have previously discovered hidden within the files of Pokemon Go, the long requested Remote Raid feature has been announced!
This fantastic new addition is the latest in a long line of quality of life updates provided by Niantic in response to player requests and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. With this, countless players will now be granted substantially more freedom than we have now, and the future of the Pokemon Go raid scene will never be the same again!
Remote Raids
While we still don't know 100% of the information about Remote Raids yet, we do have quite a bit of information to go on thanks to Niantic's update.
- Remote Raid passes will cost 100 Pokecoins at launch, with the final price not yet stated.
- A special box with Remote Raid Passes costing 1 Pokecoin will be made available
- Players will only be able to join remote raids that can be seen via the "Nearby" screen, meaning this feature will greatly extend raid distance, but it will not allow players to raid across extended distances.
- That said, Niantic is considering adding the ability for friends to join raids regardless of distance in the future
- Each remote raid joined will cost 1 pass, and players have a cap to how many they can hold at once
- At the system's launch, remote raiders will deal normal damage. At some point in the future, remote raiders will deal lowered damage. The amount of damage lost is currently TBA, and Niantic has stated that the numbers will likely change as time goes on
- The number of remote raiders at a given raid will be limited, though the current number is currently TBA and Niantic has stated that it may be changed as time goes on
- The release window of this system has not yet been announced, though it's expected to drop soon!
The Changes in Motion
In a previous article, we looked at the upcoming Remote Raiding feature and attempted to theorycraft different ways that it could change the meta.
Now it seems that we can estimate the impact a bit farther.
At launch, the system will basically be what we have now, but with radically extended range. In our opinion, allowing the player-base to ease into these changes with full remote-damage and discounted passes is a very good thing, as is waiting to allow long-distance remote friends. This system is going to be big, but not a game-changer at its release, which is how it really should be run to begin with. We feel that Niantic is handling this new feature well, and we look forward to seeing it launched in the near future!
Quality of Life Updates
This update is actually quite large, as Niantic doesn't just go into the news about the huge new system that is Remote Raiding, we also get a host of new Quality of Life updates!
Automatic Daily Research
Have you ever run out of daily research to complete (I'm literally out of them right now)? Well, in the near future, you can expect to have one daily research task delivered to your game every morning! No more missed research days!
Buddies that Retrieve Gifts
Have you ever run out of gifts to give your friends (Again; that's me right now)? Your buddy Pokemon will soon be able to run to nearby Pokestops to grab more gifts when you run low!
Streamlined Power-Ups
Gone are the days of having to press the Power-Up button up to 79 times in order to power up a Pokemon! Soon, we'll be able to press the button once and determine how much Stardust/Candy we want to spend, and what CP we want to reach, and instantly power up Pokemon to our desired level.
Stacking Boost Items
Have you ever gone out on a community day, dropped a Starpiece, then forgot to drop another when it expired? In an upcoming feature, it will be possible to use multiple limited-time boosting items such as Starpieces, Lucky Eggs, and Incense in tandem to increase the duration of their effects! It will soon be possible to just use 6 Starpieces at once to get a full 3-hour Starpiece boost for community days!
Updated Battle UI
The User Interface for battles is going to see an overhaul! Soon we'll be able to see the typing of a given enemy pokemon on the screen, Super Effective/Not Very Effective attacks will be more obvious via text ques, and features such as HP bars will be made uniform across trainer battles and raids.
New Box Notifications
When a new box drops, the shop will soon show a notification in order to draw attention to it. This is huge during our current bonus-box time!
Closing
As more and more announcements such as these come down, one fact becomes obvious: Niantic is listening. Remote raiding alone has the potential to reshape the face of Pokemon Go as we know it, and this is compounded by several Quality of Life updates, many of which players have long been requesting. We have some very real momentum coming from Niantic, as they rise to this current global crisis and grant players yet another new way to have fun while staying safe, so this is unlikely to be the end. Now all that remains is to look forward to these updates, and see what else Niantic has up their sleeves as we begin our trek into the Summer Months and the upcoming Global Go Gest!
Full Announcement
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Trainers,
We’re excited to announce upcoming changes to Pokémon GO. In our continued efforts to prioritize Pokémon GO experiences that can be enjoyed in individual settings and from home, you’ll soon be able to enjoy the following.
- With a Remote Raid Pass, you can access Raid Battles you can see on the Nearby screen from wherever you are.
- You’ll receive a bonus Field Research task daily without having to spin a PokéStop.
- As you run low on Gifts, your Buddy Pokémon will venture to nearby PokéStops and bring some Gifts back for you to send out to your friends.
- You’ll be able to power up your Pokémon to the desired CP by using all the required Candies and Stardust at once.
- After using a Star Piece, Lucky Egg, or Incense, you’ll be able to use more of the same item to extend the item’s effect beyond the usual 30-minute limit. No more waiting for an item effect to expire before you can use another one!
- Look out for other updates, including improved battle-screen design.
Access Raid Battles that show up in your Nearby view
With a Remote Raid Pass, an upcoming new item, you’ll be able to join any Raid Battle you can see on the Nearby screen or that you can tap on the map. Only one Remote Raid Pass will be required to join each raid, and you’ll be able to hold a limited amount of Remote Raid Passes at a time. Twenty Trainers can join the same Raid Battle, with a limited number of Trainers using a Remote Raid Pass. Raid Battles that you complete with a Remote Raid Pass will count toward any raid-related research tasks or achievement medals.
At launch, Trainers battling in raids remotely will have the same attack power as Trainers who are able to battle at the raid location in person. At a later time, the attack power for Trainers battling remotely will be reduced. Afterward, a Trainer battling at the raid location in person will have higher attack power than a Trainer battling remotely.
We’ll be making adjustments to this feature over time, including changes to the number of Trainers who can join remotely, the ability to invite friends to raids regardless of their location, and the mentioned adjustment to attack power for Trainers battling in a raid remotely. We’ll announce all changes and improvements via official channels, so please stay tuned for further announcements and updates to this feature.
Want to give this new feature a try? Keep a look out for a 1 PokéCoin bundle that will feature Remote Raid Passes, coming soon to the shop! At launch, Remote Raid Passes will be available to buy individually at the special discounted price of 100 PokéCoins.
Receive one daily bonus Field Research task
At midnight every day, you’ll receive a bonus task without having to spin a PokéStop! These tasks will be different from Field Research tasks you receive from PokéStops and will focus on activities that you can complete from home. If you don’t have an open Field Research slot, then a fourth slot will open up to accommodate the bonus task for you. However, if all four Field Research slots are filled, you won’t receive the bonus task.
Your Buddy Pokémon will bring you Gifts to send if you start to run low
Gifts are an important way to stay in touch with friends and share items. Your Buddy Pokémon wants to help you wherever it can, so it’ll soon be able to bring Gifts to you! As you run low on Gifts, your buddy will start going to nearby PokéStops to get more for you. You’ll see a notification above your buddy’s portrait when it’s returned with Gifts in hand (or paw). A buddy of any Buddy Level will be able to do this for you!
Power up your Pokémon faster
Currently, powering up your Pokémon can take quite some time. With this update, you’ll be able give your Pokémon all the Candies and Stardust needed to power it up to your desired CP level at once. Now you can focus more of your time on honing your battle skills in the GO Battle League!
Activate multiple Star Pieces, Lucky Eggs, and Incense at a time to extend effect durations
Trainers who enjoy playing Pokémon GO for extended periods of time and optimizing active bonuses will soon be able to rest easy. Each Star Piece, Lucky Egg, and Incense still has a 30-minute duration, but this update will allow you to activate more Star Pieces, Lucky Eggs, or Incense before the items’ effects have worn off, which will extend the durations of the items’ effects. You’ll be able to activate 200 of each item at once, but be careful! Once an item is activated, it will disappear from your Item Bag and cannot be returned. Use your items wisely!
Other updates
Here are some other updates to Pokémon GO that you’ll be able to experience soon.
- Battle screens have been polished. The way HP bars appear will be updated to be consistent across battle systems. Pokémon types will also now appear on the battle screen, along with text that tells you whether a move is super effective or not very effective.
- The shop icon in the Poké Ball menu will soon show a notification if there are updated boxes or new items in the shop.
Thank you, Trainers
As we work to continue improving your gameplay experience, we wanted to express our gratitude for your continued support. Our team is working hard to address your feedback, as well as create new and exciting gameplay that can be enjoyed both from home and when we’re able to go out and explore together again.
Please be aware of your surroundings when playing Pokémon GO. Upcoming events are subject to change. Be sure to follow us on social media, opt in to receiving push notifications, and subscribe to our emails to stay updated. For the latest on in-game events and feature updates, be sure to check this help center article.
—The Pokémon GO team
