A new update has been released on Pokemon Go where players can perform Raid Battles at the comfort of their own couch.
Niantic, Pokemon Go’s developers, promised to modify the game so people can still play while being locked on quarantine. The promise has been fulfilled today.
Starting April 28, 2020, players who have an item called Remote Raid pass can attend a Raid Battle that can be seen on the screen or ones that can be accessed from the Map View.
Remote Raid Passes can only be purchased in the in-game shop for now. Developers stated that future special events will have Remote Raid Passes as one of the rewards. However, the new feature is only available for players who have reached level 40 and will gradually release updates for lower level players once the servers are stable.
A bundle for 3 Remote Raid Passes is available for 1 PokéCoin in the in-game shop.
• Remote Raids are available for Level 40 Trainers.
• Additional Remote Raid Passes can be purchased for 100 PokéCoins or in a bundle of 3 Remote Raid Passes for 250 PokéCoins. pic.twitter.com/ao8q1CM4w8— Leek Duck (NYC) ???? (@LeekDuck) April 27, 2020
What are Raid Battles
Doing Raid Battles is the best way for players to catch the most powerful monsters in Pokemon Go. Players will need to team up and defeat a boss Pokemon who has taken over a Gym.
After beating the boss Pokemon successfully, players who have joined the raid will receive special items and an opportunity to catch the Pokemon. Raid Battles are far from the usual Gym Battle since boss Pokemons are a lot more difficult to defeat than most Pokemon.
Raids have five levels of difficulty. The higher the level, the more powerful the Raid boss and a lot more players will need to join in order for them to beat it.
How to join a Raid Battle remotely
There are two ways to join a Remote Raid Battle in Pokemon Go. First is by accessing the Nearby button located at the bottom right of the Map View, then choosing the Raid tab. The other way is by tapping on a nearby Gym with an ongoing Raid Battle.
After choosing a raid, players will see a pink button which will ask for a Remote Battle Pass. Only five players are allowed inside the Raid Lobby.
The battle system inside Remote Raids is similar to the usual Raids. Players can just pick the Pokemon they want and invite other players within the map.
Remote Raid Pass prices
As part of the launch of the new feature, players can buy discounted celebratory boxes which contain Remote Raid Passes.
A one-time purchase pack can be bought for 1 Pokecoin which contains three Remote Raid Passes. Regular ones are priced at 250 Pokecoins with the same number of Remote Raid Passes. Note that only three Remote Raid Passes can be carried by a Pokemon Go player.
Featured image courtesy of Poke AK/Youtube Screenshot