Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Sweeping Changes to Pokémon Go Battles

Recently, a few changes have been implemented to some of the battles in Pokémon Go, specifically with respect to some of the aspects that concern them. These changes are usually made incrementally and not within a short time of each other, but in the recent case, they're closely related in both relevance and time, making them more than what they seem. As such, I've dubbed them as "sweeping" changes for what they are, and they accordingly deserve a bit of a writeup and discussion as well.

The first set of changes concern remote raids, applying onwards. As of two weeks ago (May 13), the daily limit for remote raids have been raised - doubled, in fact - to 10 from 5, the initially imposed "normal" limit; certain events can still have further raised limits. Shadow raids, which had initially been unable to be raided remotely, can now also be raided as such, with the change having been tried out last January during the Shadow Ho-Oh Raid Day. Both of these changes mean a lot for what they are and thusly "sweeping".

Changes also occurred in the realm of Max Battles, the second set, and likewise applying onwards. As of a week ago (May 19), Trainers can also partake in these battles remotely as with raids, both directly and by invitation; doing so requires the use of a Remote Raid Pass along with sufficient Max Particles. More of the latter can also be stored (up to 1500 with surplus), while those that don't partake remotely will receive more XP and Premier Balls as bonuses. In a way, the remote concept has "swept" through these battles as well.

With these changes, it can be seen that flexibility has been added through newly implemented or relaxed remote battle mechanisms. In particular, it's been about a year since shadow raids were introduced (see below), and being able to battle in them remotely is a big enabler. The one thing that is still a stumbling block is the procurement of Remote Raid Passes, the crucial item for these efforts, which are still rather expensive except under certain circumstances. A total "sweep" of changes may need to consider these items too.

"Sweeping" changes like these don't occur very often in Pokémon Go - and given the recent situation, may not indicate that the developers have "turned over a new leaf" - but they are still welcome to certain extents, especially for those who are distanced or distant from other Trainers who play. In that sense, the changes are still significant, particularly given the scope and the timeframe in which they are made, and Trainers can make use of them to "sweep" through battles just like the changes.

Two years ago: Introducing Shadow Raids

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