Niantic rolling out long-awaited Pokémon Go Raid feature at Go Fest 2023

It's never too late.

The Pokémon that will appear in the global celebration of the 2023 Pokémon Go Fest, including Oranguru, both forms of Shellos, Joltik, Goomy, Lapras, Pachirisu, Unown, Kingdra, Salamence, and Pikachu wearing a crown. They all appear in a beachside cave with various pink gems in the sand.
Image via Niantic

Pokémon Go players have wanted Niantic to add a ready button to raids for a long time now, and they’re finally getting their wish at Go Fest 2023: Global, the company confirmed earlier today.

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The ready button will be live during the event on Aug. 26 and 27. Once it’s added, players will be able to join raids more quickly; with a simple tap of the button in the raid lobby. It only works in raids that have two or more people. Once all players have pressed it, or the raid reaches the maximum capacity of 20 players, it will start in 10 seconds.

It might not sound like much, but it’s a simple feature players have wanted for years now. The community always said it would make raids more efficient by not having to wait the maximum amount of time for each one to start, especially if a raid had reached the maximum capacity. The fact it hadn’t been added was baffling.

It seemed like Niantic was finally listening after leaks suggested a ready button was on the way, and it turns out, it was true. They tested it in select cities, including London and Osaka, and soon, it will be available everywhere.

It’s not the only long-awaited change happening, either. Niantic also decided to ditch the maligned Remote Raid Pass limit. Things will go back to normal once it’s over, and some players think the price is still far too steep, but it’s still a step in the right direction.

Related: Pokemon Go player shares what it’s like to play in Earth’s most isolated place

Pokémon Go Fest 2023: Global! officially begins on Aug. 26. It consists of 20 Global Challenges, and those who complete them will be able to access some special Ultra Unlock bonuses at two upcoming events next month.

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Alex Tsiaoussidis
Staff Writer for Dot Esports. I am a passionate gamer with years of experience covering all things gaming, esports, and streaming. I have extra love for Dota 2, Pokémon, and Apex Legends.