Posted in: Games, Mobile Games, Niantic, Pokémon GO | Tagged: covid-19, Niantic, Niantic Labs, pokemon, pokemon go

Will Niantic Nerf Remote Raiding In Pokémon GO?

"Boosted damage for Trainers battling remotely in raids." That is currently listed as an Exploration Bonus in Pokémon GO that is set to expire in 28 days. What exactly does this mean, though? Well, one thing it doesn't mean is that Remote Raiders currently do more damage than trainers raiding in person. In Pokémon GO, Remote Raiders are designed to do less damage, and this current buff makes them equal with in-person raiders. So, in 28 days, will Remote Raiding be nerfed? It isn't all that clear yet. Let's see exactly what Niantic has to say.

Over on the official Pokémon GO blog, Niantic posted:

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.

So that's all we have: details TBD, pretty much. Remote Raids have been incredibly lucrative for Pokémon GO, though, which is partly, I believe, why they weren't nerfed alongside the Pokéstop distance and other features given to players during the COVID-19 pandemic. As Niantic begins to adjust the game back to its original state in many ways, this is one that I doubt will be fully reverted to its original state.

The Pokémon GO community has been critical of Niantic's communication during the current test in the United States and New Zealand, which has removed the pandemic bonuses. Since removing these features, there has been no response to this critique, which has engendered… well, it's hard to use a word besides "rage" when you see the reaction. Remember, though, that Niantic is calling this current state a test, and it has just begun. We may have some time before we see Pokémon GO adjust to the community's feedback.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!