The company was valued at $9 billion in November 2021, when the company openly bashed Meta and declared it would build a “real-world metaverse,” but like many tech companies, the company conducted layoffs last year and canceled four projects. But it seems like Niantic could be facing headwinds. Niantic ended up scrapping that plan after the backlash.Īs one of the most profitable mobile games ever, Pokémon GO itself isn’t particularly desperate for cash. The game also tried to roll back that feature in August 2021, which prompted Pokémon GO influencers to threaten a boycott of the game. Niantic made significant changes to Pokémon GO at the beginning of the pandemic, like making it easier to interact with PokéStops or gyms from afar. But the feature also made the game more accessible to people who may have mobility issues or other limitations that prevent them from going out to catch ’em all.

Niantic’s AR-based mobile games are designed to encourage users to explore the world around them, and remote raid passes may seem to contradict that mission - there’s less reason to meet up with other players outside when you can play the game from home. “We feel this is a necessary step toward our goal of preserving and improving the unique experience of playing Pokémon GO.” “We believe this change is necessary for the long-term health of the game, and we do not make it lightly,” the Pokémon GO team wrote in a blog post. As of last year, Pokémon GO surpassed the milestone of $6 billion in revenue from in-app purchases. When much of the world went into lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, remote raid passes were initially introduced to enable people to participate in raid battles from afar…and to give its parent company Niantic another income stream. Raid battles are a key component in Pokémon GO, requiring players to meet up at a set location in real life to battle an extra strong or rare Pokémon. Players will now be able to participate in only five raids per day. Players used to be able to buy one pass for 100 coins (about $1) or three passes for 250 coins (about $2.50), but the cost of these items will nearly double to 195 coins for one pass, or 525 coins for three passes. Pokémon GO is raising the price of remote raid passes, the mobile game announced today.

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