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Pokemon GO introduced EX Raids way back in 2017. Though they continued for a few years, the raid variants were ultimately postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. Since then, despite affirmations by Niantic that EX Raids may make a comeback, little news has emerged on their return as of 2023. But why is this the case? So far, the developer has said little on the subject.
This leaves Pokemon GO fans to speculate and work with what little information Niantic has provided about EX Raids dating back to the pandemic. One might suggest that EX Raids haven't returned due to different factors, including the fact that they may not have been as profitable as envisioned.
Why hasn't Niantic brought back EX Raids in Pokemon GO?
To be completely fair to Niantic, it's still technically possible for EX Raids to be undertaken in Pokemon GO, but only by players who had obtained an EX Raid Pass before the function effectively went defunct during the pandemic. Be that as it may, even when introduced in 2017, trainers had more than a few issues with how EX Raids were handled. This included:
- EX Raids who attended the raid had to have recently raided and won at the gym where the EX Raid was intended to take place. This severely limited the trainers that could participate unless they were frequent raiders who lived within the area of the gym.
- EX Raids were invite-only, which prohibited Pokemon GO players who found the gym from participating openly. Moreover, EX Raids could only be undertaken in person, so remote trainers couldn't hop in to lend a hand even if they wanted to.
- The boss diversity had been relatively lacking throughout the raids' tenure. The only confirmed bosses were Mewtwo, Deoxys in various forms, and Regigigas. For many trainers, these Pokemon had already been obtained elsewhere (including standard raids) and weren't necessarily enticing.
- Only certain gyms were even eligible for EX Raids in the first place, many of which were in very populous locations. This left Pokemon GO trainers in lower population/rural areas feeling left out, though Niantic's reputation toward rural players has been long documented before EX Raids.
- Overall, the timing of EX Raids was much more random compared to set raid schedules. This left players getting EX Raid invites in the middle of the day when they were preoccupied elsewhere, making attending the raid incredibly unfeasible when trainers had real-life obligations to take care of.
It's also worth considering Niantic's view of EX Raids in Pokemon GO in addition to trainers. Because of the limitations placed on these raids and the fact that players were having a rough time attending them, it's likely that the developer noticed that they weren't exactly making the intended revenue they expected when EX Raids made their debut.
With fewer Pokemon GO players venturing to gyms to participate in EX Raids, Niantic likely didn't receive the location data it wanted from players, which is a sizable source of income for the developer. When the pandemic ravaged personal face-to-face connections, the developer probably realized that EX Raids simply weren't productive enough to keep within their mobile title.
Since then, other Pokemon GO raids have been introduced, including Tier 6, Mega, and Shadow Raids. Niantic also reduced the effectiveness and accessibility of Remote Raid Passes to encourage fans to return to in-person raiding. However, for some fans in certain parts of the world, this hasn't exactly solved the issue and has removed one of the few ways trainers could raid in the first place.
Since Niantic has essentially set its sights on a heavy in-person raiding focus in Pokemon GO, it may not feel any urgency to bring back EX Raids, especially with multiple new raid types bringing in raid pass and location data revenue. If trainers are willing to venture out to Mega Raids, Shadow Raids, and increasingly versatile 5- and 6-star raids, are EX Raids still necessary?
"Remote Raids have become an important part of the game this past year and we're going to continue evolving them. Our intention is to find the right balance between remote play and in-person play, so stay tuned for more details in the coming months. Many of these in-person raid changes will be to prepare for the eventual return of EX Raids" - Niantic, Pokemon GO blog post, June 2021
While they may not seem necessary, Niantic has spoken about its intent to bring back EX Raids in Pokemon GO only a few years ago. However, it's possible that the increased versatility of the current raid environment has obsoleted EX Raids. After all, other raids are much more readily available and accessible, and players can still play remotely on occasion due to the daily remote raiding limit.
Though EX Raids shouldn't be completely discredited as a returning mechanic, they simply may not be part of Niantic's priorities. As the developer said, it is aiming for a balance between remote and in-person raiding, and the circumstances and limitations of EX Raids may not have generated much of an appetite among the community to warrant a rapid return.
