Looks like Pokemon Go trading feature won't be an online affair

The very first Pokemon Go trailer teased trading between players as one of the features. So far, trading is still absent in the game, though Niantic CEO John Hanke confirmed last month that the anticipated feature - along with player-versus-player battling - is now on the way. However, don't expect the trading feature to be done through the internet once it arrives.

That's according to Tatsuo Nomura, Niantic's senior product manager, who recently spoke to Polygon at the Game Developers Conference. He said that it "won't be through the internet" and that players won't be able to trade Pokemon with other players "100 miles" away. Your trading partner should be near you or within proximity, according to Nomura.

This isn't really surprising, considering Niantic markets Pokemon Go as a mobile game that encourages players to socialize and interact with other players. Which is actually a tough sell. The game isn't really equipped with gameplay features that promote socializing with other players, although taking down rival Gyms is easier if you're with real-life friends.

Players who live in small towns that aren't exactly populated with lots of other Pokemon Go players will likely get the short end of the stick. And apparently, Niantic isn't really looking to deploy the trading feature as a way to help such players who are struggling with their Pokedex. "I wasn't really thinking of trading as a way to solve the local area spawn issue," said Nomura.

Nomura didn't provide more details on the exact nature of the trading feature, which will likely arrive later this year. He simply said that they're still trying to come up with something that "makes sense." They could easily "kill the game" if trading isn't done right. Good call. Because, really, between trading and PvP battling, the former is the trickier to implement.

If not done right, trading could give birth to a Pokemon black market where players exchange Pokemon for real-world money. There's also the risk of players getting lured by criminals using the trading feature. So it's perfectly fine for Niantic to take their time developing the trading feature.

In the meantime, you can keep yourself busy by hunting down all the new second-gen monsters in Pokemon Go that were recently released. Once you've had your fill, you can go back to pestering Niantic why the trading feature is taking so damn long.

Source: Polygon