Pokemon Go Players Write Open Letter to Niantic Over Remote Raid Controversy

By Marc Deschamps

Last week, Niantic shocked players when it announced massive changes to Pokemon Go's Remote Raids. Fans were left fuming over the changes, which have been purposely designed to get people to participate in Raids locally. Unfortunately, the developer doesn't seem to understand that the logistics of that aren't practical for a lot of players, who enjoy playing with others remotely. With this in mind, the PokeMiners Twitter account has penned an open letter to Niantic, asking the company to go back on its proposed changes, and instead find other ways to incentivize in-person Raids.

The open letter can be found in the Tweet embedded below. A Change.org petition can also be found right here. As of this writing, more than 59,000 people have signed.

Niantic's Remote Raid changes are set to take place on April 6th. That day, the price of a Remote Raid pass will nearly double, ballooning from the current 100 coin price, to 195 coins, with a "discounted" rate of 525 coins for a three-pack. Niantic also revealed that players will be limited to five Remote Raids per day, though the company has suggested that the number could increase for special events, such as Pokemon Go Fest. The number of players participating in more than five Remote Raids per day is probably pretty slim, but the fact remains that these changes are going to make some players spend less time and money on the game!

It remains to be seen whether these pleas will be acknowledged by Niantic, but the company is clearly aware that fans are frustrated. Remote Raids were one of several changes added to the game as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and helped to keep the game alive when it was more difficult for players to enjoy Pokemon Go outdoors. These quality-of-life improvements made the game more enjoyable on the whole, but Niantic has been trying to undo them ever since. The company has made it clear that it prefers when players are motivated to play the game outdoors and in-person, but it doesn't seem to realize that this isn't practical outside of the summer months. Hopefully the company will listen to fans and find a happy medium.

Are you frustrated by the Remote Raid changes in Pokemon Go? Do you think Niantic should go back on them? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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