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New EX Raid System??? Mail chain with Niantic support

Hi Everyone,

We are living in a relatively small city(203 thousand+) and it belongs into 4 different L12 cells. With more than 100+ active player and only 1 really eligible park(belongs into 1 of the above mentioned 4 cells unfortunately) the competition is tense.

First we noticed that Niantic not shares the truth about gym badge, and overall completed raid counts back in December. When 50+ player raided the same gym and from those who raided there only once the system choose the lower gym badge, less overall raid counts players. It was harsh, because all the level 40 golden badge(for that gym) players with 500+ overall raid counts where disappointed after they learned that the bronz badge level ~30 players with less overall raid battles received for that one time raid an EX Raid pass and they just didn't. We let it go even if we felt it's just not fair, because we are also 39+ with 400+ raid counts and golden badge. The EX was held on Christmax day anyway. :D Epic Fail...

But then 2 weeks ago our little girl started to enjoy Groudon raids with us, with Kyogre she started to love raid battles even more. So in the past 2 weeks we did all the same exact raids together. Fortunately she received an EX Raid pass, can't wait to attend the Mewtwo fight with her on 31st of January! Hurrrrray.

But on the other side you can imagine that not just us, who did the same exact raids as her, but other level 40 golden badge players with 5* time more completed raids did not received even if they raided on the same raid where our little girl received hers. They are mad about that but they don't dare to say it, however I feel the tense atmosphere and I don't like it, because it is caused by Niantic... So from that point I decided to confront Niantic that they are sharing a lie about EX Raid eligibility.

But how? They are not replying very well to support tickets and I don't want to harass a poor support center boy/girl, because they are not the ones constructed this broken EX Raid System. Anyway, there is only one support ticket they reply quickly and it's Purchase issues. My sarcasm on English wasn't really understandable. But I tried(limited by 500 character...):
"Dear Niantic,
An important premium item disappeared from both my and my wife's(XXXX) bag. Nor the relogging nor the reinstall solve the issue. Could you please help us?
First it happened at Christmas. It must be a disappearing bug because now it happened again. Please help me because I'm desperately trusting the information you shared with the world. All the lower level/gym badge/raid count player who raided with us received their EX pass, but not us. How is that possible?"

So they replied really fast due to the fact I opened a purchase issue support ticket. xD

"Hello Trainer,

Thanks for writing in.

I see that you have questions about the EX Raid Pass you have received, I will definitely look into the account and help you with this.

I have looked into your accounts YYYYYYY and XXXXXX, I can see that an EX Raid invitation was not sent to the accounts. Also, although we're not able to grant invitations to specific EX Raids at this time, I have listed some helpful tips that will help increase your chances of earning an EX Raid invitation:

EX Raid Battles take place most commonly at Gyms found in parks and sponsored locations.
If you have a high-level Gym Badge where the EX Raid will take place, you are more likely to be invited to the EX Raid Battle at that location.
The more Raid Battles you complete, the more likely you are to be invited to an EX Raid Battle.

You can view more information about this announcement on our website. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions or feedback. We’re here to help.

Best Regards,
Niantic Support"

Are you kidding with me boy? I'm writing because you are sharing lies(even if it's not yours), and you are sharing it with me again? xD I went furious.

"Dear Karl,

Thanks for your prompt reply. Also for checking mine and my wife's account.

Also it's very useful that you shared EX Raid details, however that's why I wrote originally. Because from all sources all ower the internet(gohub, gamepress, silphroad, reddit etc.) and most importantly from personal experience those who have got LOWER level gym badge and LESS completed raid battles received EX raid passes.

If the sarcasm from my original ticket wasn't clear enough now I hope it make sense if you read it again. Because you communicate that high level gym badge AND more completed raid battles improve our chance, but the opposite is the reality.

From personal experience my little girl who did all the same raid battles as me and my wife in the past 2 weeks, but have got lower gym badge than us and less overall completed raid battles thankfully received an EX raid pass and I'm really happy for her success! But all the conducted surveys, tests and results from all the main Pokemon Go websites states that you are not sharing the truth about your last 2 points. So please put me in contact with your supervisor so we can make sure that this standard autoreply message about EX raid passes you shared with me(and probably you and your colleagues shared with thousands) are not going to shared with anyone else anymore. Since it's not true. Most importantly we won't be able to increase our chance to get EX raid passes who already has got golden badge and 400+ raids completed..

Waiting for your prompt reply and putting me in contact with your supervisor.

Best regards,"

Your turn.

"Hello,

Thanks for getting touch with us again and sharing your experiences.

Being a fellow Trainer, I understand the importance of an EX Raid and I sincerely appreciate your effort in trying to receive an EX Raid Pass.

Currently, EX Raids are distributed based on the information shared in the previous response by my colleagues and we do not have any means to add or make changes to this. If you have already met the criteria, you might be closer to receive one soon.

Having said this, EX Raid is a new feature in Pokémon GO and your feedback has been shared with the team for further review.

Thanks for your time and hope you get an EX Raid invitation soon.

Let us know if we can help you with anything else.

Best Regards,"

Now you pissed me off.

"Dear,

Thanks for even caring to answer even though I'm a tough one. My wife also worked in a support center, it must be tough when you have to represent your company, but they messed up a system like the EX Raid invites.

"Currently, EX Raids are distributed based on the information shared in the previous response by my colleagues"
But thats the unfortunate thing that it is not true. Niantic shares misleading information. All the conducted tests and surveys had the same results, so you can't deny that. If there are 50+ palyers doing the same gym, same time, only one time then it always choose the lower gym badge, less overall raid battle players for EX invites.

"we do not have any means to add or make changes to this."
It's really unfortunate that you are still sharing misleading information.

"If you have already met the criteria, you might be closer to receive one soon. "
We already did. But we met the shared criteria and not the real ones. Did the same raid at the same time like the others(they not raided in the gym before or after that, just like us). But all the low level, lower gym badge, less overall raid count player get their invite.

If you could change the EX system to work just like you shared down below then it would be appreciated! Until than I can't make my gym badge lower, nor my raid counts lesser. Therefore all the casuals will receive their invites instead of the core players.

Thanks in advance,"

"Hello,

I am sending this email to inform you that your ticket has been escalated to the team that can best respond to your inquiry. One of our helpful team members will be in touch shortly.

Cheers,"

Finally. Tell me something different otherwise I will find you... So they did.

"Hello Trainer,

Thank you for writing back to us.

I have been through a similar situation so I understand. Your frustration is understandable, the New EX-Raid system has been implemented already, the team is working on Pokémon GO to make it better for all our trainers, hard-working players like you will receive what you deserve. We would appreciate your patience and understanding.

On the other hand, you can continue to participate in Raids to increase your chances of earning an EX-Raid Pass in the near future.
For further questions or feedback related to the App, please let me know.

Best Regards,"

Please share your thoughts.

Asked by Bikkrom7 years 3 months ago

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Answers

Nah looks like a generic reponse with some vague, soothing words, I wouldn't put to much weight on anything they say at this point. To many half truths in the past and most recently with the ex raid criteria complete lies.

How are they lying, exactly?

Here's a hypothetical framework under which EX selection is probably taking place that both 'exonerates' Niantic and creates the situation we've been observing: All eligible raiders (completed a raid within a week of the invitation being sent out) are split up into 2 (or more) pools. On what criteria those pools are divided is anyone's guess; I suspect it's a combination of level and active time playing the game. Each pool is given a certain amount of possible invites. Then, each player is given a randomly generated number. If you have completed 200+ raids, multiply that number by 1.2; if you have gold at that gym, multiply by 1.2; if you've already completed an EX raid, multiply by 0.8. At the end, the people with the highest numbers in each pool are given invites.

In this way, you will always have low-level, low-activity players who get passes, and because there will be fewer people in those pools with silver+ medals, it's more likely that those who have only raided at the gym once will get a pass. On the other hand, if you're a serious player, having gold might give you an edge at a gym within a highly competitive pool of other serious players. The reason why you separate the players in this way is that 1) it gives casual players a real chance (even if it's too great of a chance at this point) and 2) it encourages less-active players to become excited about the game, play more, and spend more money.

All of that said, I think the system is terrible and little about it can be justified. Living in a city with 10 million people and a half dozen eligible gyms per cell, plus thousands of spoofers competing for 40 spots, means that my chances as a semi-serious level 38 player are next to none. I hope for a serious expansion and/or a complete overhaul soon, although I'm not optimistic that we'll get either.

Whatever the system the frequent experience, backed by ill admit small studies, is that the raiders, that based on niantics announcements, would have the highest probability of recieving a pass appear to have the lowest. That would be a lie effectively.

can you please send me a link to the surveys showing that niantic are lying, first hand accounts mean nothing and that's all I see.

here's the only survey i could find, it confirms niantic is telling the truth

https://thesilphroad.com/news/ex-raid-selection-criteria-data-says-december-1st-wave/

The survey you provided was performed among TSR readers and he is highly biased towards high level hardcore players. Here is the latest research on the selection criteria.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/TheSilphRoad/comments/7s7ae7/who_gets_selected_for_ex_raids_a_statistical/

The data and effort is good but the comment from the statistician is valid. Not enough information yet to make a determination.

They (we) are working on expanding the data set, and looking at other hypothesis regarding EX raids for this study.

The easiest study would be a prospective case control study wouldn't it. Recruiting people with a child account (real child or alt) and comparing cummulitive data of a accounts vs b accounts. Prospective will remove most of the responder bias.

Our local area has a rather closed tight knit raiding group, and some people smarter than me are collecting all the relevant data from a very specific EX capable area, trying to work some things out.
...all I am doing is telling them when/where/how many etc were in the group.
I will leave the rest to the experts.

December 1...OLD stuff

This matches the impression that I have formed from experiences shared in my discord group.
Casual players who happen to raid and ex-raid gym are very likely to get a pass. Players who raid all day, every day, get passes intermittently. People who are in the middle, have gold gyms, and raid whenever they can, generally don't get passes.
I also have the impression that if you decrease your level of activity for a couple weeks, it increases your chances.

i got my first and only ex-pass after 2490 raids

Hmm, only 9 out of 63 who received a pass for the same gym as I have are below lvl 30 (all first-timers while we have had 5 rounds of invites) and 21 (including me, as one of the three lvl 40 players) are above 35. There are two other gyms with less invites, but those have a higher percentage of lvl 35+ players than we have. Moreover, only one lvl 40 is left out during these invites but that's because he was less active the week before the invite.

To me, this seems fair.