Pokémon Go gets Training and Friends functions

Niantic will be releasing an update this week for Pokémon Go, the update is adding a Friends function and Trading. Players can add each other as friends and then exchange Pokémons and items. This is only possible if players are physically close to each other.

Players can send each other a friendship request in Pokémon Go by filling in a Trainer Code. If the request is accepted, the players can find each other Friends List. Then they can increase their Friendship Level by doing various things together, such as fighting in a raid, exchanging and handing out Gifts.

Pokémon Exchange works when players are close together and have reached at least level ten. Exchanging Pokémon costs Stardust a lot of money and exchanging rare specimens, such as legendary Pokémon, costs a lot of money. At the minimum friendship level, that's one million Stardust. The higher the friendship level, the lower the costs to exchange. At the maximum level, that is forty thousand Stardust for a Legendary.

To exchange special Pokémon, such as Legendaries, Shinies and Pokémon that are not yet in a player's Pokédex, a Special Trade is required. Such an exchange can be carried out once a day with a Great Friend or Best Friend.

With the arrival of the new features there will be so-called Gifts to the game. Players can find them by turning PokéStops and Gyms. These Gifts consist of a collection of items and must be given to a friend on the Friends list. Gifts may contain special eggs from which an Alolan shape Pokémon may be formed. These are yellow eggs that players have to walk seven kilometres to incubate.

Increasing the mutual Friendship Level will unlock bonuses. If players have a high friendship level and fight together in a Gym or during a Raid, this is expressed, for example, in an Attack bonus. The friendship level can be increased once per friend per day.