Pokemon GO players are facing another price increase in the in-game shop. This time, the change affects one of the game’s most popular Raid bundles.
The Ultra Raid Box has increased from 5,425 PokeCoins to 5,600 PokeCoins, despite its contents apparently remaining unchanged. The timing could prove particularly frustrating for players, with several Raid-heavy events right around the corner.
Ultra Raid Box Now Costs 5,600 PokeCoins
Players have started reporting that the Ultra Raid Box is appearing at the new 5,600 PokeCoin price in their shops.
Previously, the bundle cost 5,425 PokeCoins. That means players are now paying an additional 175 PokeCoins, an increase of roughly 3.2%.
More importantly, the contents haven’t received a corresponding upgrade. The Ultra Raid Box continues to offer 99 Premium Battle Passes alongside additional upgrade materials and TMs.
For players primarily buying the bundle for Raid Passes, the value per pass has therefore become slightly worse.
The old price worked out at approximately 54.8 PokeCoins per Premium Battle Pass if the other items were ignored. At 5,600 PokeCoins, that figure increases to approximately 56.6 PokeCoins per pass.
It isn’t a dramatic increase on its own, but frequent raiders will certainly notice the difference over time.
Not Every Pokemon GO Player Has the New Price Yet
Interestingly, the increased price doesn’t appear to have reached every account simultaneously.
Some players are still reportedly seeing the previous price, while others have already encountered the 5,600 PokeCoin version. This suggests the change may be rolling out gradually across accounts or regions.
Pokemon GO has yet to provide a clear explanation for the increase.
That leaves players without an official reason for why one of the game’s better-value Raid bundles suddenly costs more while offering the same amount of content.
The Timing Couldn’t Be Much Worse
The timing will likely attract more criticism than the relatively small increase itself.
Pokemon GO is preparing for several events where players may want access to additional Raid Passes. A new costumed Pikachu Raid event begins on August 25, placing the Ultra Raid Box increase immediately before another reason to spend passes.
More importantly, the Mega Finale event is scheduled for early September.
The event is expected to place a significant focus on Mega Raids following a busy period for Pokemon GO that included GO Fest Global, Mega Mewtwo X, Mega Mewtwo Y and the debut of Mega Starmie.
Players preparing for the Mega Finale may therefore have been considering the Ultra Raid Box specifically to build up a large supply of Premium Battle Passes.
Now, they’ll have to spend more PokeCoins to get exactly the same bundle.
Super Mega Raids Don’t Completely Solve the Problem
There is at least one important distinction.
Pokemon GO’s newer Super Mega Raids don’t require Premium Battle Passes, reducing the pressure on players to stockpile passes specifically for those encounters.
However, that doesn’t make Premium Battle Passes irrelevant.
Other Raids appearing throughout the Mega Finale and future events can still require passes, meaning dedicated Raid players have plenty of reasons to keep a healthy supply available.
The Ultra Raid Box has traditionally been attractive precisely because buying 99 passes at once provides players with a large reserve.
Another Pokemon GO Price Increase Without Added Value
Price changes aren’t automatically a problem when a bundle receives additional items or better rewards in return. The issue with the Ultra Raid Box is that, based on what players are currently seeing, the price has increased without its contents improving.
The difference of 175 PokeCoins might look insignificant when attached to a bundle already costing thousands. However, Pokemon GO operates around an economy where players repeatedly purchase passes, storage upgrades and event-related items.
Small increases can add up.
It also raises the obvious question of whether this is an isolated adjustment or another step toward more expensive Pokemon GO shop bundles in the future.
For now, players should pay close attention to the Ultra Raid Box appearing in their own shop. With different prices seemingly appearing across accounts, anyone planning to purchase the bundle may want to check exactly how many PokeCoins they’re being charged.
With the Mega Finale approaching, Scopely couldn’t have picked a more noticeable time to make one of Pokemon GO’s most popular Raid bundles more expensive.
