Pokemon Go to Tweak EX Raids Based on Player Feedback

Pokemon Go‘s most controversial feature will be getting some changes thanks to player comments.

Last night, Niantic’s Twitter Support account tweeted that they would be making changes to how EX Raid invitations are distributed based on user feedback.

EX Raids are “exclusive” raids that players can compete in only if they have an invitation. These invitations were seemingly randomly distributed to players who had previously completed a non-EX Raid at the location where the EX Raid was to take place. Right now, EX Raids are the only way that players can battle and attempt to capture Mewtwo, which might be the most highly sought after Pokemon in Pokemon Go.

A Flawed System

EX Raids are highly unpopular among the Pokemon Go fanbase for a number of reasons. Some see EX Raids as a money grab, as the system rewards players who compete in more Raids (and hypothetically spend more money on Raid Passes.) Others saw it as a way to drive players towards Pokemon Go‘s sponsors, as many of the EX Raids took place at Sprint or Starbucks gyms. Probably the most common complaint was that EX Raids felt more like a lottery than an award – players weren’t rewarded for their progress in Pokemon Go, they simply got an EX Raid Pass out of pure dumb luck.

Pokemon Go didn’t elaborate on what changes would be made to the EX Raid Pass system, nor did they give a timeline for potential changes. EX Raids are technically in a “testing” mode, so it’s possible that we might go several weeks without any Raid Passes being handed out.

We’ll report more on any updates to the EX Raid System when they happen.

 

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