A brand new sort of raid, the Tremendous Mega Raid, is coming to Pokémon Go in tandem with the cell recreation’s subsequent main occasion, Pokémon Go Tour: Kalos. The difficult new raid sort would require not less than eight trainers working collectively with a view to take down “exceptionally highly effective Mega-Developed Pokémon,” Niantic says in a weblog put up on Pokémon Go‘s new Mega Evolution replace.
Tremendous Mega Raids will give Pokémon Go gamers entry to a brand new tier of Mega Degree Pokémon, generally known as Tremendous Max, and an opportunity to battle newcomers Mega Victreebel and Mega Malamar — each of which not too long ago debuted in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. However the purpose for developer Niantic is to get Pokémon Go gamers to be extra social and join with their fellow trainers at occasions and group meetups, builders say.
Based on Niantic’s weblog put up, Tremendous Mega Raids will differ in problem from Mega Raids in that the Mega-Developed Pokémon gamers will face will turn into enraged and erect shields, lowering the quantity of injury they obtain. Gamers should work collectively to take down the Mega-Developed Pokémon’s shields, with the caveat that every coach will solely be capable to take down one protect.
“As soon as the opposing Pokémon turns into enraged and prompts its shields, a Mega-Developed Pokémon out of your battle social gathering shall be robotically despatched into battle for those who shouldn’t have one out already,” Niantic says. “Your Mega-Developed Pokémon’s subsequent assault shall be powered up considerably, permitting you to interrupt one of many opposing Pokémon’s shields simply! After you and different Trainers have damaged sufficient shields, the opposing Pokémon will return to its regular state, and your assaults will do regular harm once more till the tip of the battle.”
Efficiently finishing a Tremendous Mega Raid will “yield considerably extra rewards than commonplace Mega Raids, together with extra Mega Power,” Niantic says.
John Funtanilla, senior producer on Pokémon Go, says that Tremendous Mega Raids perform as greater than only a new sort of raid exercise — they’re meant to push gamers to socialize extra with the bigger group, and are deliberately designed to advertise that sort of interplay.
“Loads of gamers in Pokémon Go do not work together with Megas,” Funtanilla instructed Polygon in a video interview earlier this month. “That is one thing we have discovered, whether or not it is by legacy programs, [or] whether or not they do not perceive how you can make the most of the function. So one of many issues we actually explored final yr is: How can we make Megas as essential as Dynamax Pokémon [and] Gigantamax Pokémon? How can we carry a few of these cool new Pokémon from Legends: Z-A into our recreation? As , there’s a complete slate of latest Mega Pokémon that got here out. We thought, Why do not we make the most of this? Why do not we leverage this second to truly enhance the programs in our recreation?“
Funtanilla notes that present Mega Raids do not play all that otherwise from common raids, whereas Shadow Raids and Gigantamax battles have distinct programs.
“For Mega Raids, we needed to do the identical factor. We needed to create energetic battles, [make] one thing very cool and enjoyable and actually, actually entertaining for group play,” Funtanilla says. “The principle ways in which we’re addressing that’s by a brand new battle system, a brand new foreign money referred to as Hyperlink Prices tied particularly to Mega Raids, and a brand new elevated Tremendous Max stage. Proper now you may go to Mega stage three. With this launch, you’ll go to Mega stage 4.”
Hyperlink Prices are a brand new sort of foreign money partly impressed by Max Particles, that are utilized in Dynamaxing or Gigantamaxing Pokémon. However not like Max Particles, which might be earned by visiting places referred to as Energy Spots, Hyperlink Prices are designed to encourage social play.
“There are other ways to get Hyperlink Prices, from group check-ins, from gifting mates and opening items, after which additionally doing weekly challenges,” Funtanilla says. “The core by line there [are] social actions. We wish gamers to work together with one another. We wish them to go to their group check-ins, work together with their communities, and we’re rewarding that. I do know there’s considerably of a discourse, and I believe gamers simply do not perceive the long run that we see. However I would not say we’re gravitating away from Raid Passes.”
Funtanilla says the design of Hyperlink Prices is to create “flexibility for gamers in the way in which that they need to work together with the sport.” In the end, he says, interacting with Tremendous Mega Raids and the Hyperlink Cost economic system is “residing the mission that we would like for gamers,” by “getting gamers collectively [and] creating superior recollections.”
Niantic can be growing behind-the-scenes programs to encourage participant convergence. Talking deliberately vaguely, Funtanilla says Niantic is “testing ways in which we are able to have gamers congregate in standard play areas.”
Based mostly on participant information habits, Funtanilla says, “we all know the place to put sure spawns and [have] Tremendous Mega Raid logic in order that we are able to have gamers gravitate towards one another so that they know, Hey, if I’m going to this park, I am certain to run into another gamers.” Niantic acknowledges that having too many spawns throughout close by gyms is a core, underlying drawback in Pokémon Go, Funtanilla says, and the developer desires to determine methods to have coach naturally and organically meet.
Gamers will get a style of these new programs, and Niantic’s efforts to handle Mega Raid’s present shortcomings, beginning this weekend, with Pokémon Go Tour occasions in Tainan and Los Angeles. Gamers worldwide will expertise Tremendous Mega Raids beginning Feb. 28, when Pokémon Go Tour: Kalos – World kicks off.
