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EX Raids reach a merry new low

Pokémon GO’s latest wave of EX Raids falls on Christmas, and for one set of players in a closed mall to boot.

By , December 17, 2017, 8:30 AM

The EX Raid feature, introduced some months ago by Niantic in Pokémon GO as the sole way for players to have a chance at catching the famous Legendary Mewtwo, has struggled for popularity. It’s easy to see why: players have to:

  • win the “lottery” in being selected to attend an EX Raid which can only be improved (not guaranteed!) by doing a lot of Raids,
  • have the Raid location be located near where they will be on the day,
  • be lucky in the time of the EX Raid to not coincide with work/school or other events,
  • have the same happen for a substantial group of interested players (as one cannot take down Mewtwo by themselves), and
  • actually catch Mewtwo, who only has a 6% catch rate for a limited number of Premier Balls (around 10 per player is typically awarded).

The newest wave of EX Raids has strangely been scheduled for Christmas. Most people tend to visit family and friends during this holiday, and so it’s unlikely many players would be able to attend a Raid battle. This decision is frankly baffling for many players.

Damn Niantic. Really? Christmas day when a lot of people have travel plans and will be out of town? A lot of people will have to miss the raid.

With each new EX wave it’s just worse and worse…

Christmas day around lunch time, whose idea was that? Not to mention that in our city we have sponsored gyms, large parks with many gyms and this time the EX raid happens on a random gym where almost noone raids and people with golden badges that raided there and have no Mewtwo still did not received an invitation???

If you think that’s bad however, spare a thought for Reddit user damangood who reported that the Gym his EX Raid is located is within a shopping centre that would be closed on the day. Oh.

I finally got my first EX raid pass. It’s 12/25 at a Sprint store sponsored gym in the Eden Prairie Mall in Minnesota at 2PM. THE MALL IS CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS. Why would they do this to us?!?

What are your thoughts on this wave of EX Raid passes, and EX Raids in general?

Thanks to Forever for the tip.

bobandbill is a staff member on The PokéCommunity forums, and the Head Editor of PokéCommunity Daily. He likes discussing and writing about Pokémon on top of playing the games. He is not, contrary to popular belief, two people.