Pokémon Go Introduces Major Changes for Home Players

Pokémon Go is set to implement significant updates allowing players to engage more from home, occurring shortly after its acquisition by Scopely for $3.5 billion.

In an interview with Eurogamer, the development team clarified that these updates—such as doubling the daily limit of Remote Raids and incorporating remote options for other game activities—were planned independently of Niantic’s sale.

Senior producer John Funtanilla explained that this overhaul, the most impactful change in years, is a decision from the internal leadership and is the result of long-standing discussions.

Starting next week, the daily Remote Raid limit will increase from five to ten, allowing players to participate in more activities from home. This feature, initially introduced during the pandemic, became popular and has remained despite earlier limitations aimed at encouraging outdoor play.

Other adjustments include enabling Remote Raid Passes for Shadow Raids and Max Battles for Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon, which were previously exclusive to in-person participation. These updates will be implemented globally on May 13, 7 PM UK time (11 AM Pacific).

Funtanilla emphasized that these changes have been thoughtfully designed over time, responding to community feedback and internal data analysis. The leadership was committed to balancing player engagement while preserving the value of in-person play.

Addressing concerns about the timing of these changes post-sale, Funtanilla reassured that impactful decisions like this wouldn’t be made hastily. He noted that although increased remote capabilities are now available, in-person gameplay remains fundamental to the community and game experience.