Pokemon GO is finally making Gigantamax raids worth doing

Pokemon GO fans have been underwhelmed by the introduction of Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokemon, but Niantic revealed upcoming changes that will make them more worthwhile.

The Dynamax mechanic was a controversial one when it was first introduced in Pokemon Sword and Shield. In a flailing hate campaign against the games, fans latched onto Dynamax in particular as something to be mad about. This was because the games marked the end of Mega Evolution as an in-game mechanic.

Fans weren’t especially excited when the power-up was first teased for Pokemon GO at the 2024 Pokemon World Championships. The introduction hasn’t really changed minds, either. However, an interview a Pokemon GO developer suggests that Dynamax and Gigantamax raids will inhabit a worthwhile niche before long.

Max Out — A New Season Emerges in Pokémon GO

Gigantamax raids will be best way to farm Stardust in Pokemon GO

A key developer for Pokemon GO’s development stated that the Stardust and XL Candies rewards for Pokemon will be increased.

Michael Steranka, senior director of Pokemon GO, discussed the state of the game in an interview with Game Rant. One of the key takeaways for fans is that these raids will become a great source for farming XL Candies and Stardust.

“We want the feat of overcoming these challenges to feel rewarding for players, and we also want to ensure that Gigantamax battles provide a nice counter-balance to the resources required to power up your Pokemon to defeat them,” Steranka said.

Gigantamax and Dynamax raids were stated to be a new kind of end-game challenge for players. The trouble is that completing them requires significant investment from players, with relatively light rewards.

Raids against legendary Pokemon like Palkia and Dialga ultimately reward the player with a legendary Pokemon. Defeating a Gigantamax Charizard is logistically tougher, requires a greater investment of resources, and offers a fairly common Pokemon. Worse, a Gigantamax Charizard isn’t functionally different than any other Charizard in any situation other than a Dynamax raid.

Increasing the Stardust and XL Candy rewards for Dynamax and Gigantamax raids in Pokemon GO will make them invaluable for endgame players. While that’s not the sexiest change, it does give them a definitive place in the game.

Unfortunately, there was no word on which Gigantamax Pokemon were set to arrive in the game. Venusaur, Blastoise, Charizard, and Gengar have all appeared in the game. A sizable list of other Pokemon including Melmetal, the eighth-generation starters, Garbodor, and Snorlax, all have Gigantamax forms. Expect special events starring these old favorites, and for Gigantamax raids to serve as the introduction for more Galarian Pokemon to Pokemon GO.