Asymmetrical Friend Levels?

It was once documented that Friendship levels in Pokémon Go had been intended to be asymmetrical as it was initially - meaning that Friendship levels are not synchronized between one Trainer and another - and not symmetrical as it is now. It means that the perceived "bug" was actually intended as a "feature". Even with the current norm, this older norm may still deserve a little bit of exploration, and that becomes the point of this post.

As part of that exploration, it helps to point out the advantages and disadvantages of this system. For the advantages, with the levels not synchronized, two Trainer friends can actually see how far apart they are based on their levels, which may also spur the lower of the two to play catch-up. Also because of the non-synchronization, the two friends are not so mutually dependent: the sending, receiving, and opening of Gifts might become less of a burden on either end, for example. This also allows to avoid necessary "friend cascades" for both Trainers, which are often held back by either or both not being ready for the "cascade". All told, these advantages seem attractive even if they mean more work for two friends.

But then there are the disadvantages. The current system of synchronized levels makes things more "egalitarian" for the two friends in question, and without such a system, an unequal picture would be painted of the two friends despite being rightly as such. If it were to be implemented right now as well, some other systems that tie into the synchronized system would have to be changed, such as the Lucky Friend system, and that necessarily means more rounds of testing and bug fixing, something that for Pokémon Go has become a hallmark, and not necessarily a good one. In general, the unsynchronized system has a greater degree of chaos for everyone involved and not necessarily as much order.

That said, if friend levels were to be made unsynchronized, some patterns of interaction would have to be changed. Gym battles and raids would still have to increase both friends' levels as they are inherently mutual. Sending a Gift would increase the level of the giver while opening a Gift would increase that of the recipient. The friend who initiates a PvP battle would increase one's own level, and if the other friend wins, that friend would also increase in level. As for becoming Lucky Friends, this would have to be truly restricted until both friends are Best Friends. The above is just a plausibility, but it might very well need to be realized with an unsynchronized system, apart from all other things staying the same.

Prospects of an unsynchronized Friendship level system in Pokémon Go by now can be considered to be outlandish, but it seems that it might have been the way it was intended to be. It would have its own intricacies, even with all the intricacies that the current synchronized system has. Perhaps it would appeal to those who seek a bit of asymmetry, even if friends by their nature are rightfully symmetric and equal.

One year ago: Life with a Go Plus Peripheral

Two years ago: In the November Sky

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 11/10/2018

Four years ago: Mission Cards in Shuffle