In Pokémon GO there is the new special research “Path to New Friendships”, where you are supposed to exchange gifts with Mateo. We will show you the known steps and rewards.
This is the research: The special research “Path to New Friendships” has been taking place since the start of the “Along the Routes” event. It is available as soon as you start Pokémon GO from December 5, 2023.
In the bottom right, you will meet the new NPC Mateo, who is traveling along the routes as a researcher. You will also receive a new task with him: exchange gifts with Mateo.
How do you exchange a gift with Mateo?
Where can I find Mateo? To encounter Mateo, you need to complete routes. At the end of a route, it is possible that you will encounter Mateo – but not guaranteed.
So complete several routes if it doesn’t work the first time. Also, keep in mind that the “Along the Routes” event officially starts on December 5 at 10:00 AM.
Per day, you can encounter Mateo once to exchange a gift with him. If you meet him at the end of a route, you can talk to him and exchange a gift with him. For this, you give one of yours and receive one from another trainer. Mateo acts here as a messenger. However, this also gives you the chance for postcards from unusual regions, which in turn helps with the search for the Vivillon patterns.
It is currently unclear how often Mateo appears and to what extent his appearance is left to chance. As soon as there is more information, we will keep you updated.
Update: Some players have been unsuccessfully searching for Mateo so far and are now trying it through alternative methods. Here you will find everything about tricks that trainers are currently testing to meet Mateo.
“Path to New Friendships” – Steps and Rewards in Pokémon GO
These are the tasks: Here we summarize the tasks of the special research for you.
Path to New Friendships 1/4
| Task | Reward |
| Explore one kilometer | Encounter with Yorkleff |
| Spin 3 PokéStops | 900 XP |
| Earn one candy while walking with your buddy | 5 Razz Berries |
| Exchange a gift with Mateo | 1 Incense |
Stage reward: For completing the step, you will receive 1,000 Stardust and 1,000 XP.
Path to New Friendships 2/4
| Task | Reward |
| Catch 7 Pokémon | 10 Poké Balls |
| Spin 5 PokéStops | 1,500 XP |
| Explore 3 kilometers | Encounter with Wolly |
| Walk 1,000 meters while exploring routes | Fleknoil |
Stage reward: For completing the step, you will receive 1,000 Stardust and 5 Ultra Balls.
Path to New Friendships 3/4
| Task | Reward |
| Hatch an egg | Encounter with Barschwa |
| Spin 15 PokéStops | 2,000 XP |
| Complete 5 field research tasks | 1,000 Stardust |
| Exchange 3 gifts with Mateo | Encounter with Hisui-Sniebel |
Stage reward: Here you will receive:
- 3 Hyper Balls
- 1,000 Stardust
Path to New Friendships 4/4
| Task | Reward |
| Already done! | 10 Ultra Balls |
| Already done! | 5 Nanab Berries |
| Already done! | 10 Razz Berries |
Stage reward: Upon completing the research, you will receive:
- Encounter with Hisui-Sniebel
- 1,000 XP
- 1,000 Stardust
Note: Since Mateo only appears once per day, trainers have not yet been able to trade with him three times. Therefore, no one has progressed beyond step 3 of the research, and step 4 is still unknown. We will update the article as soon as it is clear how the research continues.
Do you want to know what else is happening in Pokémon GO? Then you can find all events in December 2023 for Pokémon GO here.
