Pokémon Go is undergoing one of the most demanded changes by Niantic. Remote trading is finally coming this week, and players have been demanding it over the years. The update also introduces a new level of Friendship known as Forever Friends that will be placed above the highest level of the current, the Best Friends.
The combination of these changes will create a new means through which trainers all over the world can share Pokémon without necessarily being side by side.
Why Remote Trading Matters
So far, the trading of Pokémon Go could be conducted only when the players were physically close. This restricted a number of collectors who required region-exclusive Pokémon or rarer forms. It also reserved those players who had good communities in the world, but they could never meet up with those friends in real-life situations.
Remote trading has finally enabled players in remote countries to complete the gaps in their Pokédex. This will affect the collectors, battlers and casual players who would like to share their favorites with their long-time friends.
The operation of the Forever Friends System
Two players have to achieve the new Forever Friend level in order to initiate a remote trade. This adds some form of weight to trading and prevents unsafe or haphazard trade requests. When the players reach this milestone, they are able to tag the Pokémon they desire to offer.
Then each partner creates a wish list of up to three tagged Pokémon that they would like. Once both players have shared their wish Lists, each of them selects one Pokémon to trade, and then both players agree on the ultimate deal.
The system also enables the players to reject and resume the process at a point. This makes the experience straightforward and minimizes the errors. It is all about ensuring a win-win situation between the two parties.
Once players get more Friendship Points, they may repeat remote trades with the same Forever Friend. These are awarded through the sending of Gifts, fighting, trading, or weekly group challenges. This structure encourages players to remain active with their best friends and encourages long-term teamwork.
Regulations and Restrictions on Remote Trading
To balance the trading, Niantic has provided certain restrictions. Some of the Pokémon cannot be traded remotely. These are Mythical Pokémon, Pokémon that were obtained within the past 30 days, Pokémon that have been traded previously, Shadow Pokémon, and Pokémon that protect Gyms or are selected as a Buddy.
Special Crowned Zacian or Zamazenta is also a blocked and fused Pokémon. These regulations are consistent with the majority of previous restrictions of Niantic and assist in eliminating the possibility of abusive or fast selling of valuable catches.
The primary advantage is that a remote trade is not regarded as a special trade, despite the Pokémon being traded being regarded as a special trade. Remote trades also provide Lucky Friends with an opportunity to receive and send Lucky Pokémon, which is a value addition to long-distance partners.
Networking: A Bigger Friend List
To facilitate international trade, Niantic will put the friend list up to 650. The implementation will be done in 50-step phases within the following weeks. This was long overdue for many players, especially the leaders of the community who were involved.
The Implication of This to the Future of the Game
One of the largest social updates in years to Pokémon Go is remote trading. It revives the Friendship system and preconditions further cooperation on a long-distance basis.
The ability to establish connections in more ways and a bigger friend list will most likely make community activity increase among the players. To collectors and long-time fans, this update offers a big gap and makes the game even more international than ever.
