Over the years, with many updates and additions, Niantic has made it a point to push Pokemon Go players to team up with one another and catch em’ altogether. Players can team up with other trainers and do raid battles, trade Pokemon and send gifts for various valuable items such as potions.
Last year, with the “Party Play” option, the studio further elevated the game’s social aspect by allowing trainers to team up and get special bonuses for various activities. Players had been hoping that the studio would build upon this, but in a recent update, one of the biggest incentives to play with players has been completely axed.
Pokemon Go Removes Raid Pass Reward From Refer a Friend System
Pokemon Go‘s referral program was an exciting experience for old players to encourage newer ones to try out the game or even lure former players back into the fold. Successfully referring a player allowed both parties to earn a number of referral program rewards.
One of the best rewards players could earn through the referral system were Raid Passes. These allowed you to team up with your friends, take down rare Pokemon, earn rewards, and complete challenges. However, Niantic has removed this particular reward from the referral system.
The old “Win a Raid” mission that rewarded players with a Raid Pass now gives a Pokemon encounter. However, fans have noted that Raid Passes, which were previously given through the referral system, have not been affected. So far, Niantic hasn’t made an official comment about the change in Pokemon Go rewards.
It’s obvious that Raid Pass rewards were switched due to eBay sellers exploiting the system and using multiple accounts to farm Raid Passes. We’ve previously seen Niantic even dealing with issues related to players selling their accounts.
Although it’s great to see the studio is finally acknowledging the various loopholes and technical issues in the game, these changes are pretty disappointing for players who weren’t exploiting the system and actually pulled in new players to the game with their referral codes.
Let’s hope that with the upcoming updates, the developers can overhaul the referral system and bring in new types of rewards that can incentivize players and push the game’s growth.
Dynamax and Gigantamax are Coming to Pokemon Go
While it’s sad to see the Raid Passes being removed from the referral system, Niantic is turning up the heat with the upcoming update. The studio has finally unveiled a brand-new trailer for Pokemon Go‘s upcoming season, teasing Dynamax and Gigantamax forms.
The studio had previously teased the addition of the Sword and Shield gimmick for the popular mobile game, which recently celebrated its eighth anniversary.
The thirty-second teaser opens up with a woman relaxing on the side of a beach as she tries to catch a Pokemon while playing the mobile game. However, the skies suddenly darken up, with her cup of water shaking just as a loud sound strikes across the beach.
Much like in Sword and Shield, when a Pokemon uses Dynamax or Gigantamax, the dark cloud begins to summon as a large, unseen Pokemon shows up.
There’s no doubt that this new mechanic will make the mobile spinoff’s battles and raids even more exciting. However, it’s still unclear how exactly the studio will implement Dynamax and Gigantamax into the game.
With that said, do you think the developers have made a mistake by removing Raid Passes from the referral system? If so, let us know in the comments.
