Pokémon Go enthusiasts, rejoice! The game has finally introduced the long-awaited feature that allows players to trade Pokémon from afar. This new addition fulfills a request fans have been making for nearly a decade.
Breaking Down the New Trading System
Since its launch in 2016, Pokémon Go has focused on encouraging in-person interactions. The introduction of remote raiding during Covid marked a shift, but trading remained limited to a close geographical range—until now. The rollout of remote trading requires players to achieve the Forever Friends tier, a step beyond Best Friends, which can be expedited through Weekly Challenges.
Once players reach this tier, they can engage in Remote Trades. The system allows participants to select three Pokémon they’re willing to trade, while also choosing one from their friends’ list. Only when both parties agree will the trade proceed. Subsequent trades require a cooldown period, granting players time to attain the Lucky Friends status. Additionally, players can now enjoy an expanded friend list, increased from 450 to 650 slots.
Community Reactions and Expectations
The Pokémon Go community has shown mixed reactions. Some players, like Plus-Pomegranate8045, have praised the decision, giving credit to those at Niantic/Scopely for the update. Others, like Abject-Sector-2167, are thrilled to finally trade with longtime distant friends. However, not all feedback is positive; concerns about the impact on regional exclusives have been raised by users such as HappyTimeHollis.
Months of data mining hinted that remote trading was in development, initially expected to include a feature requiring in-game currency. The absence of this requirement has been a pleasant surprise, although future updates might introduce new mechanics to enhance the feature.
The introduction of Remote Trading is being embraced warmly, with New Zealand’s Pokémon Go community already experiencing the benefits before a broader release.