The Moment Trainers Have Waited For: Remote Trades Arrive in Pokémon Go
Since 2016, a critical question has lingered among the global community of Trainers: Why can’t I trade Pokémon with a friend who lives across the world? After years of waiting, Niantic is delivering the answer with one of Pokémon Go’s biggest social updates ever.
Remote Trade functionality and the brand-new Forever Friends tier are now beginning their phased global launch, starting with New Zealand and expanding worldwide soon after. This update fundamentally changes how long-distance friendships and collections operate in the game.
Unlocking Global Trading: The Forever Friends Tier
The key to accessing this long-awaited feature is the new Forever Friends friendship level.
This tier sits above the existing Best Friends level and acts as a long-term relationship meter. To reach it, you and your friend must continue interacting regularly through various activities:
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Battling
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Sending Gifts
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Completing weekly challenge progress
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Trading
Once you hit the Forever Friends threshold, you immediately unlock your first Remote Trade opportunity.
How Remote Trades Work and the Catch
Continued interaction will earn you more friendship points and, in turn, more Remote Trades over time. However, there is a small, strategic limitation: You can only hold one Remote Trade at a time per Forever Friend. Trainers are encouraged to use these valuable slots quickly before they risk overflowing!
Seamless Global Swaps: The Trading Process
Niantic has streamlined the remote trading process with a specific tag mechanic:
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Mark Your Pokémon: You must pre-mark the Pokémon you are willing to part with using the new Remote Trade tag. Your Forever Friends do the same.
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Create a Wish List: Both sides can then build a wish list from their friend’s tagged selection.
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The Final Offer: Each Trainer chooses one of the requested Pokémon from the wish list, reviews the final match-up, and either accepts or resets the offer.
Crucially, standard Lucky Friends rules still apply. A Remote Trade between Lucky Friends guarantees a Lucky outcome. Additionally, none of these Remote Trades count toward your daily limit of Special Trades, making them perfect for filling out your Pokédex.
Remote Trade Limitations: What’s Off the Table?
While this update is massive for collections and regional swaps, there are necessary limitations on what can be traded remotely:
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Recently caught Pokémon (within the last 30 days)
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Previously traded Pokémon
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Mythicals (e.g., Mew, Celebi)
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Shadow Pokémon
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Buddy Pokémon
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Defenders
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Fused forms
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Crowned Zacian/Zamazenta
Despite these restrictions, the introduction of Remote Trading eliminates the need for expensive plane tickets just to obtain a regional exclusive Pokémon. This is easily the biggest friendship system update Pokémon Go has ever seen. It rewards long-term engagement and connects the global Trainer community like never before.
If you want to prepare for these new trading possibilities or need to stock up on resources, make sure you check out all the latest Pokémon Go codes!
