Pokemon Go has cancelled this week’s Lugia Raid event due to ongoing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. The event, which was to feature the appearance of Lugia knowing its exclusive move Aeroblast, has been cancelled due to ongoing efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19. There is no news whether the event will be rescheduled, but Pokemon Go will be extending the length that Cobalion, the game’s current Legendary Raid Boss, through March 31st. Cobalion can also be encountered by reaching a Rank 4 or higher in GO Battle League and earning an encounter by winning either two or four battles, depending on whether you go for the free prize track or the premium prize track.
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The event cancellation makes sense as many states and countries currently have some form of “stay at home” orders in place, which limits the reasons why people can leave their house. Although many of Pokemon Go‘s gyms are located near “essential” locations like grocery stores or banks, Pokemon Go developers likely wanted to help limit social gatherings of 10 people or more, especially with a popular Legendary Pokemon with an exclusive move on the line. Since some people can’t help themselves when it comes to Pokemon Go, the developers likely wanted to be extremely cautious with the event.
Pokemon Go has continued to shift its gameplay to help players cope with social distancing and long hours in the house. Yesterday, Pokemon Go announced that it would have weekly in-shop deals offering basic supplies like PokeBalls for 1 PokeCoin. The game has also added Legendary Pokemon as rewards for GO Battle League play, which currently has no walking requirements. Pokemon Go has also cancelled events like Community Day and its live Safari Zone events to limit the potential spread of COVID-19.
Pokemon Go has not announced whether the Lugia Raid event will be rescheduled, but it is moving forward with its next Legendary Pokemon addition – Landorus – on March 31st. We’ll keep you informed of any other changes to Pokemon Go due to ongoing health concerns.
