Pokémon Go Trading and Real-Time Player Battles Coming Soon, Says Niantic - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Pokémon Go Trading and Real-Time Player Battles Coming Soon, Says Niantic

by

Pokémon Go fans waiting for a new reason to resume their engagement with the hit augmented reality title may have reason to cheer. According to MacRumors sister site TouchArcade, two features that were sorely missing in the game's original incarnation – real-time player battles and Pokémon trading – are said to be coming "soon".

John Hanke, founder and CEO of Pokémon Go developer Niantic, revealed in an interview that both co-operative trading and player vs player battles are in the works, although their introduction is likely to be staggered via a series of updates, in what he called "an abbreviated form".

pokemongobattle
The omission of the two features around launch time was said to be down to the daunting server issues the company experienced shortly after the debut of Pokémon Go last summer. Hanke revealed that if the company hadn't been so busy trying to keep the servers online, at least one of the features would likely have been in version 1 of the game.

"It’s going to be done soon," Hanke told Waypoint. "It is what it is. I'll take the massive wave of hysteria we enjoyed, and just deal with the fact that it's caused us to take a bit longer to get the rest of the features up. We're really happy to make our users happy."

Top Rated Comments

frumpy16 Avatar
126 months ago
Too late Niantic. No one cares any more.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WordsmithMR Avatar
126 months ago
The game is pretty dead... they threw away such a great money maker. They treated it as a one time cash grab, when this could've generated millions for the next couple of years.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
126 months ago
Too late Niantic. No one cares any more.
San Francisco, last Saturday. Check out all the lures! Somebody is playing...then again, the game has always been best in dense cities... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Attachment Image
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
keysofanxiety Avatar
126 months ago
[doublepost=1487075985][/doublepost]What's the nonsense about resuming engagement. I can count on the fingers of one hand the days missed playing since started.

I just might take a break in protest if they ruin it by allowing trading as a short cut for the slow and steady work of filling out the pokedex. Especially if they rob me of the anticipation of the trips for landlocked (not immediately feasible but definitely in long term plans)
You're possibly the exception to the rule. I imagine a few more users would flock back if they allowed trading; not many people enjoy grinding away at a game to the extent you've described.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WRChris Avatar
126 months ago
I'm


I am just disappointed with mobile gaming in general nothing against Mario Run, I bought it and enjoyed it. I just have a problem with people that want Nintendo consoles to die and that they become primarily a mobile gaming company. The only way to survive in mobile is micro transactions and IAP. If you want proof just look at Fire Emblem, it's still near the top of Top Grossing Apps while Mario Run has slipped off the charts. Difference is one is fairly priced, and the other is out to get you.
I agree with that completely. Nintendo needs to be a software and hardware company, much like Apple but they still need mobile games for other platforms. As an owner of nn3ds and having a switch paid for, the console games need to stay on the consoles.

Still no reason OLD Mario and Pokémon games can't be ported to iOS. There is no way for me to be good at pogo, no matter how much I play it or spend on it and that really bothers me.

I want to be the very best, like no one ever was.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thisisnotmyname Avatar
126 months ago
"soon?" so judging by the timeline from announcement of the Apple Watch app that means six months to a year?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple TV 4K HomeView HomePod Mini tweaked

New Apple TV 4K, HomeView, and HomePod Mini: 16 Details Just Leaked

Sunday October 11, 2026 12:56 pm PDT by
Just two days before Apple's "Welcome home" experience in New York, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has leaked several details about the new products set to be unveiled, including an all-new smart home hub, a HomePod mini 2, and a new Apple TV 4K. Here is an all-in-one summary of the details shared by Gurman:Apple's home hub with a touch-enabled display will be named HomeView, seemingly confirming a ...
Apple HomeView lineup feature1

Apple Announces 'HomeView' Smart Home Hub

Tuesday October 13, 2026 6:00 am PDT by
Apple today announced the "HomeView," an all-new kind of smart home hub featuring a 7-inch Liquid Retina display and Siri AI. Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing Greg Joswiak said: Apple HomeView is designed to be shared by everyone in the home yet feel completely personal to each user. It recognizes your face to shift from a household screen to your own experience,...
Apple TV 4K 4th Generation feature4

New Apple TV 4K Announced With A19 Chip, Updated Siri Remote, More

Tuesday October 13, 2026 6:08 am PDT by
Apple today announced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, with key features including an A19 chip, Siri AI support, an updated Siri Remote that has Find My support with Precision Finding, built in far-field microphones, support for surround sound with four HomePods in front and rear pairs, and more. The A19 chip in the new Apple TV 4K delivers up to 50% faster CPU performance and up to twice...
Latest Stories
HomePod Mini vs. HomePod Mini 2 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared
HomePod Mini vs. HomePod Mini 2 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared
4 minutes ago
Apple Watch Sleep Apnea Notifications Launch in China
Apple Watch Sleep Apnea Notifications Launch in China
1 hour ago
HomeView's Faces Include Snoopy, Photos, and Interactive Artwork
HomeView's Faces Include Snoopy, Photos, and Interactive Artwork
1 hour ago
Apple's HomeView Repair Fees Revealed
Apple's HomeView Repair Fees Revealed
12 hours ago
Everything Apple Still Has Coming in October
Everything Apple Still Has Coming in October
13 hours ago
Welcome Home: Everything Apple Announced on October 13
Welcome Home: Everything Apple Announced on October 13
14 hours ago
Will the Full-Sized HomePod Get Siri AI? Apple's Website Offers a Clue
Will the Full-Sized HomePod Get Siri AI? Apple's Website Offers a Clue
14 hours ago
Apple Releases Third Public Betas of iOS 27.2 and macOS Golden Gate 27.2
Apple Releases Third Public Betas of iOS 27.2 and macOS Golden Gate 27.2
14 hours ago
iOS 27.2 Adds New Apple Music Icon
iOS 27.2 Adds New Apple Music Icon
14 hours ago
HomePod Mini 2 Works as Default Speaker With Select Macs
HomePod Mini 2 Works as Default Speaker With Select Macs
15 hours ago
Elevation Lab Pulls AirTag Silencer After Stalking Concerns
Elevation Lab Pulls AirTag Silencer After Stalking Concerns
15 hours ago
iOS 27.2 Beta 4 Removes New Health App
iOS 27.2 Beta 4 Removes New Health App
16 hours ago
iPhone Duo Will Have Day-One iOS 27.1 Update
iPhone Duo Will Have Day-One iOS 27.1 Update
16 hours ago
Where to Pre-Order Apple's New HomeView, HomePod Mini 2, and Apple TV 4K
Where to Pre-Order Apple's New HomeView, HomePod Mini 2, and Apple TV 4K
17 hours ago
Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware
Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware
18 hours ago
Apple Seeds Fourth macOS Golden Gate 27.2 Beta to Developers
Apple Seeds Fourth macOS Golden Gate 27.2 Beta to Developers
18 hours ago
Apple Releases Fourth iOS 27.2 Beta
Apple Releases Fourth iOS 27.2 Beta
18 hours ago
Apple Releases Fourth watchOS 27.2 and visionOS 27.2 Betas
Apple Releases Fourth watchOS 27.2 and visionOS 27.2 Betas
18 hours ago
Anker and Jackery Offer Prime Day Encore Discounts on Power Stations
Anker and Jackery Offer Prime Day Encore Discounts on Power Stations
19 hours ago
New Apple TV 4K and Siri Remote Have These 14 New Features
New Apple TV 4K and Siri Remote Have These 14 New Features
19 hours ago
HomeView Runs Third-Party Apps From Your iPhone or iPad
HomeView Runs Third-Party Apps From Your iPhone or iPad
19 hours ago
RIP, homeOS
RIP, homeOS
20 hours ago
New Apple TV 4K Supports Surround Sound via Four HomePods
New Apple TV 4K Supports Surround Sound via Four HomePods
20 hours ago
Apple Says HomePod Mini 2 Won't Support Siri AI Right Away
Apple Says HomePod Mini 2 Won't Support Siri AI Right Away
20 hours ago
HomeView Can Dim to Apple's Lowest-Ever Display Brightness
HomeView Can Dim to Apple's Lowest-Ever Display Brightness
20 hours ago
New Apple TV 4K Adds Far-Field Microphones for Hands-Free Siri
New Apple TV 4K Adds Far-Field Microphones for Hands-Free Siri
20 hours ago
Apple Details HomeView's Audio Hardware
Apple Details HomeView's Audio Hardware
21 hours ago
Apple Shares Videos for HomeView, Apple TV 4K, and HomePod Mini 2
Apple Shares Videos for HomeView, Apple TV 4K, and HomePod Mini 2
21 hours ago
HomeView Comes in Four Colors, but Wall-Mounted Model Gets Just Two
HomeView Comes in Four Colors, but Wall-Mounted Model Gets Just Two
21 hours ago
Older Apple TV 4K Models to Gain Apple Intelligence and Siri AI Support
Older Apple TV 4K Models to Gain Apple Intelligence and Siri AI Support
21 hours ago