Pokémon Go’s highly popular remote raid battles allow players to engage with the immersive game from anywhere despite stricter lockdown rules. However, recently a couple of controversially sensitive price changes to these passes have been announced, raising questions about possible ableism.
The change raised prices for the passes from the original cut rate of 300 Pokecoins, the equivalent of $1.99, to the now regular price of 1,000 pokecoins or$9.99. It may not seem like a huge difference to most, but for disabled players who depend on the passes for gameplay, the increased cost could be unaffordable.
Because accessibility is such an important part of gaming, the price change may have been an indiscriminate way of curbing access to a game most enjoyed by people who may not have the physical or financial ability to do so.
The increase in price of Remote Raid passes had players, including those with disabilities, quickly voicing their concerns with the game’s developers. Many found the pricing to be exclusionary as there was no reasonable explanation given as to why it was raised.
Although there aren’t reports of any mass complaints regarding the increase in prices, there is still widespread speculation surrounding the company’s intentions. Unfortunately, with the prices being increased suddenly and without warning this still raises concerns of ableism.
Some speculate that increased prices could be a way for developers to make more money from the game, but this does not justify putting individuals with disabilities at a disadvantage. Furthermore, the change has been seen by many as a way to reduce the popularity of raiding among players, which could lead to less in-game interactions and less incentive for players to play.
Although the change to prices is disappointing, there are still some silver linings. One of the most notable ones is that players who may have been priced out by the independent change can still purchase Raid passes at the former prices if they are bought in bulk.
With other factors such as accessibility, players with disabilities are often faced with steeper challenges when it comes to inclusion. This increased price of Raid passes acts yet another barrier players with disabilities must overcome when entering the virtual world of Pokémon.
Though this change may have been unintentional, there are still implications of ableism nonetheless. This is why it’s so important that issues of accessibility remain at the forefront of the developers of potential online challenges. Now more than ever, gamers of all backgrounds must come together to ensure that everyone is included.