Niantic, the developer of Pokemon Go, has been known for making Remote Raids increasingly difficult over the past couple of years. From price hikes to participation limits, remote raiding has become less accessible. This was a deliberate move to encourage local play, which Niantic believes is crucial for the game’s longevity. Surprisingly, the company has announced a positive shift for the Fashion Week: Takeover event and the upcoming Ho-oh Shadow Raid Day.
For the first time ever, players will be able to participate in Shadow Raids remotely. Given the cold January weather in many regions, this change should significantly expand access to Shadow Raids. It should also make tackling the more challenging Shadow Raids easier. It’s currently unclear if this will become a permanent feature for all future Shadow Raids, or if it’s limited to specific events.
altShadow Ho-oh is coming to Pokemon Go later this week.
Regardless, allowing remote access to Shadow Raids is a welcome change. Restricting remote players offered no real benefit and may have even hindered local players by reducing the overall participant pool. It will be interesting to observe the impact of this change and whether it paves the way for further adjustments to Remote Raids. One common complaint about Gigantamax Raids is the difficulty in finding enough local players. Hopefully, Niantic will consider enabling remote participation in Max Raids as well.
This change comes at an opportune time for Pokemon Go players. During Ho-oh Shadow Raid Day, participants will have a higher chance of encountering a Shiny Ho-oh, which boasts a striking gold and white color scheme instead of the standard orange. This presents a fantastic opportunity to obtain a Shiny Ho-oh for use in Pokemon Go or for transfer to Pokemon Home and subsequent use in mainline Pokemon games.
Shadow Raids and Fashion Week Event Details
The Fashion Week: Takeover event in Pokemon Go starts on Wednesday, January 15th at 12 a.m. and ends on Sunday, January 19th at 8 p.m. local time. The Ho-oh Shadow Raid Day will take place on Sunday, January 19th from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time.
Connect and Share Your Thoughts
Are you excited about this Remote Raid update? Will you be participating in the Shadow Raids? Share your thoughts on Twitter @Marcdachamp, Bluesky @Marcdachamp, or Instagram @Dachampgaming!
