Pokémon GO finally unlocks remote trades with new Forever Friends tier, here’s what trainers need to know

Pokémon GO finally unlocks remote trades with the new Forever Friends tier, revolutionizing how trainers connect globally. The feature started rolling out on December 8, 2025, beginning with New Zealand as part of a major friendship system overhaul. Here’s everything trainers need to know to start trading remotely with their best buddies.

What Is the Forever Friends Tier?

The Forever Friends tier represents the highest friendship level in Pokémon GO, sitting above the previous maximum of Best Friend. Reaching this tier requires dedication and continued interaction with another trainer.

Once you and a friend hit Best Friend status, you must continue earning Friendship Points together to climb to Forever Friends. The system rewards consistent engagement through gifts, battles, and raids, creating long-term connections between trainers worldwide.

How to Reach Forever Friends Status

Building Forever Friends takes commitment but follows a straightforward path. First, achieve Best Friend status with another trainer through exchanging gifts, raiding together, or battling in Gyms and PvP.

Once Best Friends, continue interacting to earn 90 Friendship Points needed to advance to Forever Friends tier. Niantic designed this escalation to encourage ongoing friendship maintenance rather than one-time level-ups.

Importantly, you can only build this tier with one Forever Friend at a time, making the bond feel truly exclusive and meaningful.

Friendship Tier	How to Unlock
Best Friend	Reach 1,000,000 friendship points
Forever Friends	Earn 90 Friendship Points from Best Friend status
Remote Trading	Available exclusively to Forever Friends

Unlocking Remote Trading With Forever Friends

Remote trading marks the biggest feature addition to Pokémon GO’s trading system since local-only trades launched. This opens trading opportunities for trainers separated by distance, time zones, or geography.

Once you achieve Forever Friends status, remote trades unlock immediately. Before your first remote trade, you’ll use a special Remote Trade tag to mark which Pokémon you’re willing to trade. This prevents accidental trades of legendary catches or sentimental team members.

What Trainers Gain From Forever Friends Bonds

The Forever Friends relationship extends far beyond just trading. Trainers unlocking this tier gain access to ongoing rewards by continuing to exchange gifts or battle alongside their Forever Friend.

By maintaining the connection, players can earn bonus rewards and potentially unlock an extra Remote Trade, amplifying the benefits of the partnership. This incentivizes long-term collaboration rather than one-off interactions.

What Does Remote Trading Mean for Pokémon GO’s Future?

Remote trading represents the feature players have requested for years, fundamentally changing how the community connects. Trainers no longer need to coordinate in-person meetups to trade rare regional Pokémon or complete their Pokédex.

With the phased rollout starting December 8 and expanding worldwide, this update positions Pokémon GO for enhanced social gameplay. Niantic’s friendship system evolution shows commitment to the game’s long-term community building, making remote connection a priority for 2025 and beyond.

Sources

• Pokémon GO – Official announcement of Forever Friends and Remote Trade rollout
• Polygon – Feature analysis and Forever Friends tier details
• Pokémon GO Hub – Comprehensive friendship update breakdown