'Pokemon Go' Cancels EX Raids In Japan

Pokemon Go is cancelling EX Raid tests in Japan due to what they see as difficult circumstances.

The game announced on its Japanese account that EX Raids were cancelled at certain gyms "due to difficulty for players to arrive at specified time." Raid passes for those specific EX Raids were revoked and automatically disappeared from players' accounts.

In addition, Pokemon Go also noted that it reserved the right to suspend future tests at other gyms without notice in the future.

Unfortunately, Pokemon Go didn't give specifics on which gyms they closed, so it's impossible to know the exact reasons for the closure. It's possible that the gyms where the EX Raids were to take place was in a location that wasn't open to the public (such as an airport) or was in a location that was currently closed.

The announcement is interesting since it shows that Pokemon Go is actively curating locations for its EX Raids. While the earliest raids were located in public parks, the game has recently turned to sponsored stops as the location for its EX Raid tests. Although some players are annoyed that Pokemon Go is giving sponsored gyms "special" treatment, at least Pokemon Go can be certain that players can access the EX Raids at Sprint or Starbucks locations.

Of course, EX Raids are still in the testing phase, as Pokemon Go wants to perfect the new game mechanic before rolling it out to the public. Don't be too alarmed if an EX Raid suddenly disappears from your bag, as it's clear that Pokemon Go is still working out the kinks to its new type of raids.

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