Party Play is a local co-op feature which allows you to team up with fellow trainers and earn unique bonuses in Pokémon Go.
Released alongside 2023’s Halloween event, the headline benefit is the ability to see fellow players on the map screen as you explore, showing off their locations in the world for the first time.
Other perks include the chance to complete a series of Party Challenges for rewards — such as event-specific Pokémon encounters — and receive a boost to raid damage when participating as a group.
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How to Party Play in Pokémon Go
Party Play can be accessed by selecting the “Party” tab in the Trainer screen. Players can then invite others into a party by entering a code or scanning a QR code.
Party Play only works locally, and there is no remote option — meaning need to be in close distance with other trainers to join.
Note that Party Play has a trainer level requirement of 15, and those you party with do not need to be in-game friends — so feel free to team up with new acquaintances if you prefer.
How to play Party Play solo
If you’re a solo player who wants to use Party Play — say if you want to clear the “Welcome Party” Special Research, or take advantage of event-specific Pokémon encounters — then provided you have another device (such as a tablet) and additional Pokémon Go account, you can have that join you as a second Party member.
Better yet, once the two accounts are in a Party, provided your main account is the Party leader, you are then free to roam and cycle through challenges without taking that second device with you. At launch, you had to have that device with you at all times (whether through tethering a connection, or using its own SIM card), but with the Party Play distance having been extended, it essentially allows solo play to be possible.
What is the Pokemon Go Party Play distance, and how long does Party Play last?
At launch, Party Play had a distance of around 1km. However, in 2024 the distance has been quietly increased significantly, with it working at a radius of several kilometres in our experience. Though the exact distance has yet to be determined, either way, you will receive a warning when you are about to stray too far from the host.
As for the length of Party Play sessions, this is set at three hours, and is boosted to eight hours during major events, such as Go Tour and Go Fest.
Pokémon Go Party Challenge rewards and bonuses explained
Party Play allows you to create a team of either two, three, or four local players. By doing so, you have the following benefits:
* The chance to see your party member’s avatars explore the map around you.
* Party members have access to a Party Tab to show on-going stats from the session (such as Pokémon caught) which can then be shared as a visual recap once the Party disbands.
* Everyone will contribute to a rolling series of Party Challenges — such as catching Pokémon under certain conditions, or spinning a set number of PokéStops — which will reward items based on their difficulty, such as Poké Balls, Berries, and Mega Energy.
* If one Party member enters a raid, the others in the party will automatically be sent a raid invite to join.
* During the raid, Party members can use the Party Power mechanic, which is a gauge which increases the more each player does damage to the Raid boss. Once filled, the next Charged attack’s damage will be doubled. For players keen to min-max their raid strategies and take down powerful bosses with fewer players, it’s well worth partying up before you battle.
What else do you need to know about Party Play in Pokémon Go?
As well as the above explainers, here are some extra details to help get the most out of your Party Play sessions:
* The maximum party size is four players. If the Party is not full, then any player — not just the host — may invite new members to the group while the session is ongoing.
* The completion requirements for Party Challenges scale with the party size — so during a “catch Pokémon” challenge, the goal will be lower for two players versus three or four.
* Party Challenge rewards can include Pokémon encounters, and can be event-specific, such as the chance to find Sun or Moon Tiara Pikachu during Go Fest Global 2024, or Tandemaus during 2024’s “Better Together” event.
* As well as the Party Play-exclusive Eevee avatar items from completing the “Welcome Party” Special Research, additional avatar items have been available as Party Challenge rewards during summer 2024.
* Party stats do not carry over to future sessions, even if you are playing with the same group of players.
* The Party Power raid boost works across all difficulties, including — and likely the most beneficial for — Shadow Legendary raids, which by their nature are local-only.
* In the month following launch, the option to complete Routes while in a party was introduced.
