Tandemaus arrives in Pokemon Go via “hell” mechanic leaving fans split
The Pokemon CompanyTandemaus is making its debut in Pokemon Go, but the methods by which it can be acquired have left fans split, with the focus on Party Play proving divisive.
Both the Couple Pokemon and its evolution – Maushold – are debuting in Pokemon Go on July 17 as part of the Ultra Unlock: Better Together event. While its arrival has been well received by the community, the primary way that trainers can encounter Tandemaus has divided fans.
Kickstarting this discussion on Reddit, one player posted, “What I think about the Ultra Unlock 1 event,” with a meme implying that it’s bad Tandemaus is exclusive to Party Play. However, this is misleading as the debutant can also be acquired through Field Research and Timed Research, though Party Play will likely still be the most reliable method.
Party Play is a co-op feature that was added in October 2023. It allows players to team up and complete challenges to net various in-game rewards. It encourages sociability and rewards those willing to work together, but not everyone is a fan.
One commenter who felt this way expressed, “Makes sense though, party play is hell, especially if you have family that doesn’t play,” responding to someone who accused the community of complaining too often.
However, not everyone agreed with this verdict, with one reply countering, “I actually like party play. But I don’t want them to lock things behind it. So I get your second point, but why the first? It’s just free stardust and can be fun to see who hits the most nice/great/excellent throws.”
The original commenter then elaborated, “Mostly because it’s really annoying trying to keep even just 2 people together, because I quick catch, but a lot of people I know/try and play with don’t, so it’s pretty easy to run out of mons nearby and keep walking fast ahead while the other person is still catching or checking.”
The thread featured multiple conflicting posts like this, with another person describing anything exclusive to Party Play as a “waste,” while another player insisted, “Party Play if it released in its current state would not be as hated. It’s actually pretty decent now IMO,” showing the divide of opinions.
NianticWhile Party Play has proven divisive, it isn’t necessarily its existence that has sparked this debate. Instead, it’s Tandemaus not being made available as a wild encounter, forcing Pokemon GO players to engage with mechanics they may have otherwise avoided. Though considering Tandemaus will also be available from Research Tasks and Timed Research, these concerns are perhaps overstated.
This isn’t the first time Niantic’s choice of wild spawns has affected the community, with trainers previously calling for the wild spawn rotations to be overhauled. Similarly, others wanted Regional Spawns to receive a buff after one player’s disappointing trip to Australia.