The Ultimate Guide To Pokémon GO Friends In 2025: Unlocking The NEW 'Forever Friends' And Remote Trading

The social landscape of Pokémon GO has undergone its most significant evolution in years, culminating in a massive update in late 2025. The introduction of the 'Forever Friends' level and the long-awaited Remote Trading feature has fundamentally changed how Trainers connect, trade, and battle worldwide. This comprehensive guide breaks down everything you need to know about the current state of the Pokémon GO Friendship System, from the new maximum friend count to the specific bonuses you can unlock at every tier, ensuring your game is fully optimized for the current meta.

As of December 2025, the game's core social mechanics have been dramatically expanded. Whether you are a casual player looking for a few local friends to exchange Gifts with, or a hardcore Trainer aiming to maximize your Raid Damage Bonus and Secure Lucky Trades, understanding the new tiers and rules is essential to progressing efficiently. The days of being geographically locked for trades are over for the most dedicated players, making the pursuit of the new ultimate friendship level a top priority.

The New Era of Friendship: Forever Friends and Remote Trading

For years, Best Friends sat atop the Pokémon GO social hierarchy. That changed with the global rollout of the Forever Friends level, which began in December 2025. This new tier is not just a cosmetic badge; it unlocks one of the most requested features in the game’s history: Remote Trading.

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How to Achieve Forever Friends Status

Reaching the new top tier is a significant commitment, requiring consistent interaction well beyond the Best Friends milestone.

• Requirement: You must complete an additional 90 interactions *after* reaching Best Friends status.
• Total Interactions: This brings the total number of interactions to 180 (90 for Best Friends + 90 for Forever Friends).
• Daily Interaction: An interaction is counted once per day and can be achieved by sending/opening a Gift, trading, battling in a Gym/Raid, or a Trainer Battle.

The Game-Changing Remote Trading Bonus

The primary and most valuable reward for reaching Forever Friends is the ability to conduct Remote Trades.

• How it Works: Forever Friends can trade Pokémon with each other regardless of their physical distance.
• Trade Limit: While Remote Trading is unlocked, Trainers are generally limited in the number of Remote Trades they can perform. Niantic has indicated that earning more Friendship Points will net you additional Remote Trades, though a strict daily or weekly cap is in place.
• Raid Damage Bonus: Early reports suggest that Forever Friends receive a slightly higher Raid Damage Bonus compared to Best Friends, potentially showing one more "burst icon" during the battle screen.

Friendship Levels, XP Rewards, and Bonuses Explained

The core four friendship levels remain the foundation of the system, each offering substantial Friendship XP and critical in-game benefits. Timing a Lucky Egg for the moment you hit a new level is the most effective way to farm this massive experience boost.

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The Five Friendship Tiers and Rewards

Here is a detailed breakdown of the five current tiers, the interactions required, and the essential bonuses they provide:

The Power of Lucky Friends

The Lucky Friends status is a special, temporary state that can only be triggered once you are Best Friends.

• Trigger: After your first daily interaction with a Best Friend, there is a small chance to become Lucky Friends.
• Benefit: The very next trade you conduct with that Lucky Friend will result in a Lucky Pokémon.
• Lucky Pokémon Benefits: Lucky Pokémon require 50% less Stardust to power up and have guaranteed high IVs (Individual Values) of at least 12/12/12.

Maximizing Your Friend List and Gift Mechanics

The ability to manage a large friends list is now more important than ever, especially with Niantic’s recent expansion of the friend capacity.

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The Expanded Friend List Cap

In conjunction with the Forever Friends rollout in late 2025, the maximum number of friends a Trainer can have on their Niantic Friend List was increased. The cap has been raised from 450 to a massive 650 friends.

This expansion is vital for players who frequently participate in global events, exchange Friend Codes online, or rely on a vast network for Gift Mechanics and Raid Invites. A larger list means more opportunities for daily interactions to pursue the coveted Forever Friends status.

Mastering Gift Mechanics and the Stardust Economy

Gifting is the most common and easiest way to build Friendship XP daily.

• Gifts Sent vs. Opened: You can only open a limited number of Gifts per day (usually 30), but you can send a Gift to every single friend on your list. Always prioritize sending to ensure your friends can progress the friendship level on their end.
• Gift Contents: Gifts are a reliable source of essential items like Poké Balls, Potions, and occasionally rare items like Stones or Stardust. They are also the only way to obtain 7km Eggs, which contain regional Pokémon or special baby Pokémon.
• Stardust Discount: The increased Stardust Discount at Great, Ultra, and Best Friends levels is crucial, especially for Special Trades involving Legendary or Shiny Pokémon. Trading with a Best Friend can save you hundreds of thousands of Stardust.

The introduction of Forever Friends and Remote Trading marks a new chapter for Pokémon GO. By focusing on consistent daily interactions, strategically using your Friend Code to build a large network, and prioritizing your highest-level friends for Special Trades and the new remote feature, you can fully leverage the expanded social system to become a top-tier Trainer in 2025.