Some things in Pokémon GO require their time. MyMMO author Paul Kutzner waited almost a decade to achieve a special goal.
Impatience and Pokémon GO usually do not go well together. While you often have to wait for certain monsters to become available in the game or until you have enough candies to power them up, sometimes a long time can pass.
But other activities can also take some time. I had to wait almost 10 years for one thing – and I was finally able to successfully accomplish it recently.
A Friend, a Monster, a Decade
Different time, different game: When Pokémon GO launched in 2016, half of my friend circle was directly caught up in the GO fever. Everyone was playing, and we often started group rounds on weekends where we were out for hours. Since we were not the only ones feeling this way, this time was for me the best time in Pokémon GO that ever existed.
Back then, Pokémon GO looked a bit different than it does today. Not only visually but also in terms of functionality. Some things that are now indispensable in the game simply did not exist back then. This includes the trading feature, which was only activated in the game in 2018.
My best friend was also there from the very beginning. However, he had a bit less luck when it came to catching, so I already had a monster in my possession by July 2016 that he had a particular interest in: Gengar, his absolute favorite Pokémon.
Good Things Take Time
As a good friend, it was clear from the beginning that this Gengar should move into his possession. Accordingly, it was marked as a favorite and given its name as a nickname, so I always knew: This monster wants to one day go to the trainer who deserves it.
As time went on, and we gathered monsters for months, gathered experience points, and farmed candies, one thing was still missing: the trading feature. And as it sometimes goes, my friend lost interest in Pokémon GO.
When 2018 finally came, and we would have finally had the opportunity to transfer the Gengar, he had no more interest in the game. But of course, I kept the Gengar. Because I knew, one day the trade would take place.
Over time, I also went through a phase where I did not play Pokémon GO – of course, exactly when he was active in the game again. And this process repeated itself several times over time. When he played, I was on a break; when I played, he was on a break. As life goes, there was also a time when we did not see each other for a long time.
Finally – the Goal is Achieved!
But a few weeks ago, it was finally time. While we met again, I asked him if he currently had Pokémon GO on his phone. After he answered yes, it was clear: Today is the day!
So we opened our games, he chose the next best monster to trade, and the trade was completed – Gengar has finally landed with the trainer who it should have landed with almost 10 years ago.
Since he had traded few monsters previously and Gengar was caught back in 2016, he was also happy, as this triggered a lucky trade.
While I now have one more free slot in my Pokémon box, my friend finally has his Gengar. It remains to be seen which is the next monster to find its rightful owner after such a long time.
Have you also waited so long for a trade? Feel free to let us know in the comments. If you want to know what contents are waiting for you in the game this month, then take a look at our overview, in which we summarized all events in August 2026 in Pokémon GO for you.
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