Elite Raids in Pokémon Go have faced heavy criticism since their debut in November 2022. The addition of Enamorus to the game through Elite Raids has only intensified these frustrations within the community.
On February 14, Enamorus made its Pokémon Go debut through Elite Raids. However, the timing of these raids, which ran between 12 and 7pm local time, posed a challenge for players with nine-to-five jobs. Furthermore, players reported that Elite Raids were not appearing as frequently as expected.
Participating in Enamorus raids proved to be a struggle for many players. They faced difficulties in finding enough players to form a raid group or had to travel long distances, sometimes up to 20 minutes, just to locate an Elite Raid. Both rural and heavily populated city players expressed their frustrations with the poor catch rates of the new Legendary Pokémon and the limitations imposed by Niantic, such as the inability to access Elite Raids using Remote Raid passes.
A Reddit user, Successful-Part3388, provided a scathing yet accurate review of the Elite Raid experience: coordinating with a large group, taking time off from school or work, arranging transportation, and often finding only one Elite Raid in rural or suburban areas. After going through all of this, the Pokémon would flee even after multiple excellent throws and golden razz berries. This has led to a sentiment that the game is a waste of time.
In addition to the aforementioned challenges, players also reported encountering bugs during Enamorus raids. These bugs would either kick players out of the raid or cause lag during capture attempts. The dissatisfaction with Niantic's handling of raids and the abundance of paid research tickets in every event has further contributed to the discontent surrounding Elite Raids.
With Enamorus' debut in the past, players can now shift their focus to Go Tour: Sinnoh and the exclusive content accompanying Origin Forme Dialga and Palkia. However, concerns regarding bugs and glitches in this event still remain.
Elite Raids in Pokémon Go have been a subject of division and frustration within the community. The difficulties in participating, the poor catch rates, and the limitations imposed by Niantic have all contributed to the negative sentiment surrounding these raids. Despite the release of Enamorus, technical issues and discontent with Niantic's handling of raids persist. Players now have the opportunity to explore the Go Tour: Sinnoh event, but concerns about bugs and glitches remain.
