Pokémon Go changes will let you play more remotely – but developers say Monopoly Go owner isn't behind sweeping moves

Pokémon Go is making big changes to let players do more while sitting at home, just weeks after the announcement that it would be sold to Monopoly Go owner Scopely as part of a deal worth $3.5bn.

But in an interview with Eurogamer, the game’s development team says these changes – which double the number of Remote Raids possible per day and add remote options to other types of gameplay – were decided upon separately from Niantic’s sale.

Indeed, Pokémon Go senior producer John Funtanilla tells me that this shake-up – the biggest to impact the game in several years – was “100 percent” being made by the game’s own leadership and comes as part of ongoing discussions going back “years”.

Beginning next week, Pokémon Go will permanently increase its daily Remote Raid limit from five to 10, doubling the number of remote activities you can perform from your sofa without going outside.

Remote raids were originally introduced during the era of Covid lockdowns as a way for the game to continue despite the game’s original creator Niantic previously championing outdoors play. The feature – which proved hugely popular with fans and helped Niantic make more money from the game than ever – has since remained, though with limitations added in 2023 to try and incentivise outdoors play once again.

Now, the needle is swinging back the other way.

In other new changes, Pokémon Go will next week allow players to permanently use Remote Raid Passes to access Shadow Raids, as well as Max Battles for Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon – which were previously only available via in-person play.