The Statement

As if you needed another reason to move, it turns out Pokemon Go’s trading system won’t really improve the player experience for those living in rural areas.

In the words of senior product manager Tatsuo Nomura:

“[Trading] won’t be through the internet,” he said of the mechanic, which remains in development and heavily under wraps. “You shouldn’t be able to exchange your Pokémon with someone who is 100 miles away from you. … The person needs to be in your proximity.”

Are You Moving Yet?

Pokemon Go, as previously discussed isn’t really so much a game as it is a social experiment. As such, player interaction is heavily encouraged—it’s the whole point. That means players living in small towns will have a difficult time filling their Pokedexes compared to their urban living counterparts.

In fact, Nomura is hoping Pokemon Go pub crawls and huge social gatherings will crop back up with the coming warmer months, saying the entire point of the game is to go out and meet new people.

Does this update affect you? Let us know in the comments below!