
Pokémon GO has now introduced Remote Trading, allowing players to trade Pokémon without needing to be physically next to each other.
This feature works through a new system called Forever Friends, which officially refers to friends you can trade with remotely.
This marks one of Pokémon GO’s biggest social updates, expanding long-distance trading options while still maintaining meaningful game balance.
Forever Friends is the term used for Pokémon GO friends who meet the trading eligibility requirement for Remote Trading.
In practice:
This naming reinforces the idea that long-term friendship investment is rewarded with exclusive functionality.
Remote Trading allows two Forever Friends to trade Pokémon from anywhere, without needing physical proximity.
When active, players can:
Players must:
✔ Reach Best Friends status
✔ Be in a period where Remote Trading is enabled
✔ Have Stardust to cover trade costs
No lower friendship tier qualifies — the mechanic is tied to your highest-bonded friends.
This mirrors standard trading but removes physical distance requirements.
Remote Trading follows normal rules:
Some species may be restricted based on event rules or Niantic adjustments.
Trading remotely does not remove normal costs.
Costs scale based on:
For Forever Friends, Stardust reduction is at the maximum discount level, so remote trading is most cost effective between Best Friends.
Remote Trading is not guaranteed at all times — it appears during:
These windows allow Niantic to monitor performance and player behaviour.
✨ Access rare regional Pokémon
✨ Trade shinies collected from global events
✨ Dex completion flexibility
✨ Removes physical meetup barriers
✨ Rewards long-term social connection
This feature is especially helpful for rural players, disabled communities, or global friend networks.
No — Forever Friends is not a new rank.
It is an official label for eligible Best Friends who can trade remotely.
Best Friends remains the highest friendship rank, and reaching it is how you unlock Forever Friend status.
Remote Trading currently activates periodically, suggesting Niantic is:
While long-term permanence remains unconfirmed, the naming of Forever Friends implies this mechanic is intended to be core to the game moving forward.
Remote Trading and Forever Friends transform one of Pokémon GO’s oldest requests into reality:
You can trade with your closest friends — from anywhere.
It preserves balance through limitations while strengthening social bonds and accessibility.
As Niantic refines Remote Trading frequency and availability, players should expect:
✔ more trade windows
✔ potentially expanded features
✔ new social incentives
This is one of Pokémon GO’s most impactful updates to date.
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