Pokemon GO recently suffered some controversy with the new Shadow Raid system. There has been controversy surrounding the game since release, while people debated player safety from the start. This was somewhat counterbalanced by the idea that it was getting people out and connecting when they otherwise wouldn't, but that was also part of the controversy. However, the game's new controversial issues are completely unrelated.
With the latest Reward Road in Pokemon GO costing much more than many players might be willing to pay, the game has been criticized for several reasons recently. Although the problems are separate, they combine and different actors can be triggered by different problems. Although it doesn't seem like Pokemon GO is going anywhere anytime soon, an upset fanbase is not a good thing for the health of the game.
Why Shadow Raids divided Pokémon GO fans
Players cannot keep up with requirements
Recently, the main reason why players think Shadow Raids in Pokemon GO are not a big thing for the game are the requirements to be able to participate. While anyone can get up and go for a walk to catch some Pokémon or find a local gym to battle, To participate in a Shadow Raid the requirements are a little more difficult to meet.
The biggest problem is that it is a local-only event that requires players to be prepared in advance with strong Pokémon and at least eight Purified Gems among the group that will play. Higher levels of Shadow Raids will also require players to have a friend join them, meaning multiple people will have to coordinate to participate. It's hard enough to get a group together once a month for dinner these days, let alone have that much coordination to Pokemon GO.
Furthermore, the bigger the event, the more this happens. In Max Battles, players must:
- Have forts, especially collected from previous Pokémon Max Battles
- Have special moves for these Pokémon
- Have a specific strategy for Max Battle
- Have a location and a local group, preferably multiplayer, that must be covered on foot
This means that only players who have participated in a Max Battle and caught these Pokémon before can play, they must have trained these Pokémon and found a working strategy, and they all need to meet in a specific location to defeat them. The harder and higher level the battle, more people will need to coordinate to do this.
This culminates in the Gigantamax Pokémon, which must be fought in very large groups. This makes everything even more difficult, and players who don't live in large urban areas will likely be excluded from this type of gaming. There is also no mechanic for new or old players to reach the rest of the players to participate, making it more difficult for these players to get involved.
Shadow Raids are the latest of many GO controversies
Adding another problem to the pile
Unfortunately, this comes to the end of a long series of controversies. Not counting those that happened earlier in the game's life, there were several big ones this year. THE In the jungle event generated controversy when players felt betrayed by false advertising claiming they would receive additional Raid Passes when they never did. Additionally, they released new avatars across the board and received a huge backlash for it.
Recently, it was also revealed that Niantic has been using Pokemon GO train AI for its large geospatial model that includes 3D positioning. This is something that is being done by many different companies and has never been hidden, but it wasn't clearly understood early in the game's life. This generated some controversy, but in a world of growing AI applications it wasn't as big a news as others.
There have also been problems with special research, problems with Dynamax battles, ethical questions surrounding PokeStops in inappropriate locations, the dangers of theft and environmental hazards, and the development of controversies that continue to plague the game's story. Despite that, Pokemon GO still has a huge fan base and is still making a more than fair amount of money.
How Pokémon GO could solve your Shadow Raids problem
Changing the format
The best way to fix Shadow Raids' core issue would be to employ some sort of upgrade mechanic. Perhaps making Purified Gems a little easier to obtain would be the best way to go. Players are currently unable to participate in these Raids because they can't get their hands on the Purified Gemswhich asks the player to walk to specific locations to reach. Making them available anywhere in the world or even allowing players to pay for some would be enough.
They could also decrease the amount of Purified Gems needed to participate in battle, which would greatly reduce the cost and stress of participating. For Maximum Battles, if there was any way to get other Max Pokémon or make them less localizedit would be much easier for people to find a group and be able to join and get the Pokémon they need. Making new players feel like they can't play as intended is not a good thing, and making some of these small changes would help those players get into the game.
Additionally, making things a little less localized would allow players to form teams with players from around the world. This would make the game more accessible to people who don't live in dense urban areas, and players could enjoy the game more anywhere in the world. Maybe there can still be fun incentives to go for a walk and find a Pokémon in the wild nearby, but these big events that need a lot of players need a balancing mechanic. Opening them up and making them less restricted is the key to achieving that balance.
How it looks Pokemon GO has been haunted since its inception, the controversy is likely to continue. However, Shadow Raids can be easily fixed if Niantic takes the time to do so. Time will only tell if the developers decide to make their game a little more accessible to new and old players.