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On March 30, 2023, Pokemon GO announced additional changes to the remote raiding system that will arrive on April 6, 2023. Alterations include an increase in Remote Raid Pass prices in the in-game shop and a limit to the number of remote raids that can be participated in per day.
Considering that Niantic has received criticism in the past for their treatment of remote raids, Pokemon GO players were quite upset at the announcement. The proposed changes have drawn a significant amount of pushback from fans.
A Change.org petition has been opened with over 60,000 signatures, and the #HearUsNiantic hashtag has circulated through social media.
The Change.org petition is called "Save Remote Raiding in Pokemon GO" and was opened by player Ali Vongsathian with the hope that Niantic will reverse course.
Pokemon GO players boycott and demand change from Niantic when it comes to remote raids
Remote raiding was considered to be at its peak during the COVID-19 pandemic when trainers were expected to respect social distancing guidelines by local health officials. As of 2022 and 2023, Niantic has stated in an official Pokemon GO news post on March 30, 2023, that it would prioritize in-person raiding and minimize the prevalence of remote raiding in the future.
According to the game's developers, they believe that raiding with other players in person and coming together as a community is prioritized for the spirit of Pokemon GO. They remarked:
"Since their introduction in 2020, Remote Raid Passes have come to dominate the experience of playing Pokémon GO in a way we never intended. Rewarding Trainers with additional Candy XL and adding other new features are two of the ways we hope to further incentivize playing Pokémon GO in person with your friends, family, and community."
The decision has spurred plenty of controversy in the Pokemon GO community, even compared to previous criticisms leveled at the developer.
Reports from multiple major outlets have claimed that some fans have sold their accounts online. Others are reportedly refusing to play the mobile game at all until Niantic makes changes to keep remote raiding included in the game.
Players have a clear reason for their desire to keep remote raiding accessible. Specifically, the Change.org petition points out these points with clarity.
For some Pokemon GO players who have health issues, or disabilities, or are located in incredibly remote locations, in-person raiding can be difficult at best and outright dangerous at worst. The petition criticizes Niantic's priorities towards players who can raid in person over those who can, stating that the developers are alienating players who have issues with raiding in person:
"They have not considered what this price increase and limitation means for trainers who do not have the privilege of being able to leave their house to play a game. This includes disabled and differently-abled people, parents, immunocompromised individuals, and many more.
"This community has come together in the past to speak out against anti-accessibility issues, and we hope that with this petition, we can show Niantic that they need to revert these changes if they care about their community more than profit."
Despite the substantial amount of pushback from the Pokemon GO community, Niantic has yet to announce that it is diverting its current course regarding remote raiding.
Since the latest round of changes will go live on April 6, 2023, Niantic may be in for a rocky month as criticism and outrage mount from fans around the world. However, it's unclear if this criticism will force the company's hand, as demands and outcry in the past have failed to do so in most instances.
