Remote Raids, and Remote Raid Passes, were added by Pokemon GO developer Niantic during the pandemic so that players could Raid safely. However, since then, they have become an integral part of the game for anyone who wants to catch Legendary Pokemon.
It’s clear that Niantic has been trying to phase out Remote Raids for a while. This started with the removal of the one-coin Remote Raid Pass and continued with new Legendary Pokemon being exclusive to Elite Raids.
Now, an increase to the cost of Remote Raid Passes, as well as a daily limit to how many you can do, will make Remote Raids even less appealing.
How Much Will Remote Raid Passes Cost?
Following the update on April 6, a single Remote Raid Pass will cost 195 PokeCoins, and a pack of three Remote Raid Passes will cost a whopping 525 PokeCoins.
This is almost double what they currently cost at 100 PokeCoins per Pass!
With this price increase and the introduction of a Premium Battle Pass three-pack for 250 PokeCoins, it is clear that Niantic is trying to encourage in-person Raiding more.
Learning the fastest ways to earn PokeCoins in Pokemon GO is more important than ever! Otherwise, it’ll take ages to earn enough to buy Remote Raid Passes.
New Remote Raid Limit
Niantic is also introducing a limit to how many Remote Raids that players can take part in. Now, Pokemon trainers can only battle in five Remote Raids per day.
However, Niantic has also mentioned that limited-time events could temporarily increase this limit.
Therefore, for events like Pokemon GO Tour, players should be able to battle in more Remote Raids daily.
Other Remote Raid Pass & Candy XL Changes
One silver lining of this Remote Raid Pass update is that players can now earn a Remote Raid Pass from a Research Breakthrough.
Any Remote Raid Pass earned this way will still count towards the maximum of three anyone can have in their inventory, though. Players who earn a Remote Raid Pass while they already have three will receive a Premium Battle Pass instead.
Additionally, following the update, players will also receive more Candy XL from battling in Tier 5 Raids in person.
When are the Remote Raid Pass Changes Happening?
All of the changes to Remote Raid Passes in Pokemon GO will be happening on April 6, 2023, at 11 AM PDT, according to the Pokemon GO Blog post about the matter.
Before then, we suggest you make sure you have three Remote Raid Passes in your inventory, as this is the maximum you can hold!
Pokemon GO Fan Reaction to Remote Raid Pass Price Increase & Changes
The fan reaction to these Remote Raid Pass changes has been overwhelmingly negative.
One post on r/PokemonGO complaining about the Remote Raid Pass changes has gotten over 9,300 upvotes in just 12 hours, showing the extent of fan discontent.
Of course, the price increase of Raid Passes is the main issue that players have with this update. After all, it wasn’t too long ago that players could get a Raid Pass every week for just one PokeCoin!
However, the limit of how many Remote Raids players can participate in is also a major issue for many players. Shiny hunters after shiny Legendary Pokemon or players looking for Legendaries with perfect IVs will have a harder time now.
Hopefully, Niantic listens to player concerns and tweaks its plan for Remote Raid Passes. Otherwise, there will be a lot of unhappy Pokemon GO players.
At the very least, they should consider some reasonable suggestions, like making Raid bosses a guaranteed catch. This would certainly ease the pain of the huge Remote Raid Pass Price increase!
Following the price increase, it is especially important that you don’t waste your Remote Raid Passes in Pokemon GO. Find out the top tips to win Raids in Pokemon GO to ensure you defeat any boss you face!