Niantic has announced a couple of exciting new features for Pokémon Go. Pokémon Go will soon allow players to trade their Pokémon with each other as well as create friends lists.
Ever since the first games in the Pokémon franchise, the ability to trade the titular creatures has been a major part of the game. It’s so important, that certain Pokémon are nigh unattainable without the ability to trade with others. Now, Pokémon Go will allow players to trade with each other.
Trading will work locally with players who are up to 100 meters from each other. Niantec gave some insight on how trading will work in a press release:
Trainers will earn the Candy of the Pokémon received in trading, and that bonus can increase if the Pokémon traded were caught in locations far apart from each other. The Friendship level between players trading Pokémon will provide unique bonuses including Stardust discounts. Higher Friendship levels between Trainers will unlock the Special Trades option, which includes the ability to trade certain Pokémon, such as regional Pokémon, Legendary Pokémon and Shiny Pokémon, and add new Pokémon to their Pokédexes. Trainers who require parental approval and registration through the Pokémon Trainer Club to play Pokemon GO will be unable to trade with other Trainers in the game.
In addition, Niantec announced the addition of a “friends” system. This system will give bonuses to players who frequently play together. Players will be able to add each other to their lists by using “trainer codes,” a system that should feel familiar to Nintendo Switch owners. After adding a friend, players will receive various bonuses like Stardust discounts and special Pokémon trading opportunities depending on their friendship level, which is increased by friends fighting at Gyms, engaging in raids, and sending gifts to each other.
The friends feature will arrive later this week, while trading will be implemented sometime this summer.