Evergreen
Where Pokémon GO Players Talk: A Community Guide
A guide to where Pokémon GO players talk: local raid chats, online communities and remote raid groups, and what good ones share. Trainer Hub hosts no forum.
Much of Pokémon GO happens in conversation: raid calls in a group chat, a tip about a rare spawn, arguments over who deserves your Stardust. This section of Trainer Hub is a guide to those conversations, from finding the right place to ask to staying safe once you're there. Trainer Hub doesn't host a forum itself; everything here is about the spaces players already use.
What this section is, and what it isn't
There are no accounts to create here, no threads to post in and no member list. We are a small, independent fan guide, and running a forum properly takes moderation we couldn't honestly promise. Instead, the pages in this section help you join the conversations that already happen elsewhere.
Trainer Hub isn't official, and most of the spaces below are run by players rather than the game's developer, so treat official announcements, such as the in-game news, as the final word on events and game changes.
Where Pokémon GO players tend to talk
Each kind of space suits a different kind of question:
| Type of space | Good for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Local group chats | Coordinating raids, planning meetups, finding trade partners nearby | Members can often work out where you live and play, so share only what you're comfortable with |
| Large online discussion communities | Mechanics questions, second opinions on who to power up, comparing notes on bugs | Answer quality varies, and advice goes out of date when moves or events change |
| Remote raid and friend-finding groups | Getting invited remotely to raids you can't reach in person, filling a raid lobby (this needs a Remote Raid Pass and in-game friendship with whoever invites you; not every raid type allows remote players, and the rules have changed over time, so check the in-game news) | You'll be adding strangers as in-game friends, and gifts you send show the PokéStop they came from, so think about what that reveals about where you play |
| PvP and GO Battle League groups | Team feedback, cup discussion, practice battles | Conversations assume a lot of jargon, so expect a learning curve |
| In person at Gyms, PokéStops and events | Quick tips, trades, joining a raid on the spot | Ordinary public-space common sense applies |
Finding your first group
- Decide what you want most. Local raids, trades, remote raids and PvP practice each point to a different row in the table above.
- Ask around in person. Players at a busy Gym or a raid often know whether there's a local chat and how to join it.
- Read before you post. Check the group's rules and watch for a few days to get a feel for how it works.
- Say what you're looking for. A short introduction helps, and share your Trainer Code only where the group asks for codes.
For more on finding people nearby, our events hub has a guide to finding a local Pokémon GO community group.
Signs of a healthy community
Whichever space you end up in, the good ones tend to share a few traits:
- Visible rules. Pinned guidelines about what can be posted and how raids and trades are organized.
- Active moderation. Someone removes scam messages and suspicious links quickly, and newcomers' questions get answered rather than mocked.
- A clear line between confirmed and rumored. Details about upcoming events sometimes circulate before anything is announced. Good communities label those as unconfirmed and wait for an official announcement, such as the in-game news.
- Clear rules against cheating. Spoofing tools and account-sharing offers are removed, not debated.
Norms that travel well
Every community has its own culture, but a few habits make you welcome almost anywhere. If you say you'll join a raid, turn up or say you can't. If you host a remote raid, say how many spots you have and send invites promptly, and if you're invited, join quickly or let the host know. Use the format the group already uses for raid and trade posts. Don't repost other people's names, Trainer Codes or screenshots without asking. Say whether you saw something in the game yourself or heard it secondhand. For getting good answers to your own questions, see the guide below.
The guides in this section
Two guides cover these topics in more detail:
- Asking good questions: what details to include, how to share screenshots without oversharing, and how to weigh the answers you get back.
- Staying safe in Pokémon GO communities: what your screenshots and friend list can reveal, sensible habits for meeting other players, and the scams that show up again and again in player spaces.
Talking to Trainer Hub itself
Corrections and topic suggestions for our guides are welcome through our contact page. We have no access to game accounts, so account problems belong with the game's official in-game support.
