Pokemon GO multiple accounts as a solo strategy for an enhanced Party Play and Welcome Party Special Research experience

Trainers, the Party Play feature has officially landed for players level 15 and above. In a delightful twist, Niantic and Pokemon GO have also unveiled a four-step Welcome Party Special Research quest. Now, let’s be clear, this Special Research is not tailored for the solo players out there, or for those who prefer to keep their Pokemon GO experience a personal affair. But what if you’re determined to complete it on your own terms?

These Welcome Party Special Research tasks are designed to promote the new Party Play feature. To complete them, you’ll need to take on 10 and 30 Party Challenges (a total of 100 Party Challenges), which are activities that can only be done within a Party. These challenges cover a variety of in-game actions, from spinning PokeStops and participating in raid battles, to catching Pokemon. The best part? You’ll bag some cool in-game rewards for your efforts.

For those who’d rather keep social interaction to a minimum, there is a workaround that’s as smooth as a well-executed Fast Attack. Dig up an old phone and connect it to your home’s Wi-Fi. On this relic of a device, create a new Pokemon GO account and hustle to the level needed to unlock Party Play. Once you’re there, establish a party on your primary account and use the second device to join in. Tuck that second phone away, say, in your pocket, and take on the challenges with your main account. After an hour, simply reset and do it all over again. There you have it, a solo strategy for conquering a social feature.

It’s definitely a peculiar move on Niantic’s part to lock this research behind the requirement of forming a local, in-person party. Why not just make it available the first time you create any party, right?

In short, if you’re an introvert who loves Pokemon GO, this might feel like your worst nightmare. But hey, at least now you’ve got some solo options.