Pokemon Go Announces Major Changes to Remote Raids

Some big changes are coming to Pokemon Go, and it seems like fans should be pretty happy as a result. Starting this month, players will be able to participate in Shadow Raids and Max Battles remotely. While Niantic has tested the waters with Shadow Raids in the past, this marks the first time this has ever been done with Max Battles. The changes will go live during a pair of events in May, and will remain in effect after. The changes to Shadow Raids will begin with the Crown Clash: Taken Over event on May 13th, and Max Battles will similarly change with Gigantamax Machamp Max Battle Day on May 25th.

In addition to these changes, Pokemon Go will be increasing the daily limit on Remote Raids. The number will increase to 10 per day, and the limit may increase to 20 during specific events. Players will still need Max Particles to participate in Max Battles, but the limit they can get each day will be jumping up to 1,500. There will still be some incentive to participate in Max Battles locally, as players will receive increased XP and Premier Balls following a successful Raid. That still gives players a reason to seek out in-person Max Battles, without forcing them to do so.

Max Battles were added to Pokemon Go in late 2024, and have been a source of irritation for players ever since. While Niantic has tweaked the difficulty since Gigantamax Pokemon first arrived, Max Battles have still been incredibly hard for players to pull off, due to the steep level of difficulty and high number of recommended challengers. That’s not to mention the fact that Max Battles have been nearly impossible for those that live in rural locations! Players have been begging Niantic to allow them to challenge Max Battles remotely, and it’s finally happening.

These changes to Remote Raids are pretty surprising, as Niantic has been largely trying to move away from them over the last two years. In 2023, the company implemented major changes to Pokemon Go, increasing the price of Remote Raid passes and placing a limit on the number players can participate in each day. Fans were understandably frustrated by the move, but Niantic argued that it wanted to get users playing the game outside, and Remote Raids went against that philosophy. The price of Remote Raid passes does not seem to be dropping back down anytime soon, but clearly Niantic has listened to the player community.

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It remains to be seen whether these changes will result in more Pokemon Go players jumping into Shadow Raids and Max Battles, but it seems like a pretty safe bet. Niantic clearly would still prefer to see players challenging these raids locally; after all, in-person interaction is what made Pokemon Go so popular in the first place. However, the developers are now offering incentives instead of taking away opportunities, and that’s definitely a good thing.

How do you feel about these changes to Remote Raids? Does this make you more likely to participate in Max Battles? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!