Trading is finally coming to Pokemon Go this week

Trade Mew or Magikarp

After two years of service, Pokemon Go will finally be getting a trading feature. Players have been clamoring for the ability to share their excess Pokemon between friends since the launch and now we only have to wait a few more days. Niantic confirmed that the feature will be launching this week in an update. Along with that, you can actually specify which trainers are your friends and even level-up your friendship!

Labeled the “Friends Feature,” you’ll need to exchange a lengthy trainer code to register your buddies on a friends list. After that, you’ll be able to earn a higher rank with your friend by raiding together or trading critters amongst each other. Similar to the daily quests, you’ll only be able to earn ranks with your friends once per day and getting to the highest possible rank is set to take months. You can speed up the process by sending gifts to your friends, which you’ll get from spinning a Pokestop randomly once per day. Gifts will also include the new 7 km eggs that have Alolan forms of Pokemon.

As for trading, you’ll have to be at level 10 to even think about it. After crossing that threshold, you’ll need to be within 100 meters near your friend and have them registered on your list. Then you’ll select which Pokemon you’re trading and pay the requisite amount of stardust to send them off. Leveling up your friendship rank will decrease the amount of stardust required, with Niantic explaining that a legendary creature will require 1,000,000 stardust at the beginning rank and around 40,000 at maximum.

If you’re trading for a beast you don’t already have, that will fall under the category of a “special trade.” These can only be completed once per day and will require a friendship level of “Great” or “Best” friend to complete. Seeing as how that will take a long time to acquire, I’m going to assume most people won’t be trading around Mews anytime soon.

That sounds like an awful lot of information for something as simple as trading, but I’m pretty happy it is even here. My mom has been playing Pokemon Go since it launched with me only jumping in last year. She definitely has a lot of Pokemon I don’t, so I’d love to fill out my Pokedex without needing to hop on a plane and travel to remote islands.