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In the immersive world of Pokemon GO, friendships aren't just a social feature; they're a core component of gameplay mechanics, offering various benefits from trading Pokemon to enhanced raid bonuses. However, a recent contention surrounding the game's friendship mechanics has sparked debate within the Pokemon GO community, particularly regarding how experience points (XP) are awarded upon reaching maximum friendship levels.
A Reddit user, @BissiFortniteDiesDas, recently brought to light a frustrating issue where a player was deleted by another after achieving the highest level of friendship. The post mentions:
"Had the Problem that someone deletet me after reaching the max friendshiplevel and wantet to talk to the support about this topic. Personally, I think it's a disgrace that two people work to reach the maximum friendship level, but in the worst case scenario only one person gets the XP and the other person gets nothing."
The Reddit user continues:
"At the moment I have 2 people who only need to open a gift so that we reach the maximum friendship level and I fear that these 2 people are like that again. It cannot be that you don't get any XP after you have been removed and it absolutely cannot be that this is okay for Niantic."
This action left the user without the significant XP reward typically granted for reaching this milestone. They described this situation as a "disgrace," pointing out the fundamental unfairness in the design - where in the worst-case scenario, only one player receives the XP, while the other gets none.
The community's response echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that such experiences feel like they might have been intentionally programmed by Niantic, Pokemon GO's developer. A Reddit user replied to the post, saying:
"Way it is now feels like it was intentually programmed. Both players should get the XP at the same time because they should get the friend level at the same time."
Community feedback has been mixed, with some defending the system as it is. One viewpoint suggests that the friendship feature was designed with real-life friends in mind, not for those who add strangers merely to farm XP.
Thus, the design isn't necessarily flawed but rather intended to discourage exploitative behaviors.
Others proposed that the system should automatically award XP to both players when the maximum friendship level is reached, regardless of any subsequent changes in the friend list.
This idea stems from the understanding that friendship data is stored for 90 days, which, theoretically, should allow for XP claims within this period even after a friend is removed.
Why is Friendship important in Pokemon GO?
Friendship in Pokemon GO extends beyond just XP and level gains. It is integral to trading, where proximity and friendship levels can significantly reduce Stardust costs. Friends can also send and receive gifts, providing access to exclusive 7km Eggs and the Pokemon within them.
Additionally, higher friendship levels result in better bonuses during Gym and Raid battles, and the chance to become Lucky Friends, which guarantees a Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO from trades.
While the complaints about the XP issue are valid and merit attention, they also highlight a broader challenge within game design - balancing the exploitation of mechanics against fostering genuine player interaction. Whether Niantic will adjust the friendship mechanics to address these concerns remains to be seen.
However, this debate opens a larger discussion on the purpose and function of social features in games, pushing developers to consider both player behavior and game integrity in their designs.
As the Pokemon GO community on Reddit awaits further clarification or updates from Niantic, players are encouraged to focus on the spirit of the game, building lasting friendships that extend beyond mere XP gains. After all, in the world of Pokemon GO, relationships can be just as rewarding as the rarest Pokemon catch.
