Pokemon Go Players Won’t Receive XP if a Friend Removes Them From Their Friends List

In the unfortunate event that a player doesn’t receive XP for achieving Best Friend status with another player, it can be quite frustrating. Once a friend removes the player from their Friend List before the XP for reaching Best Friend status is received, claiming the XP becomes impossible. The pending XP rewards become inaccessible once the unfriending action takes place.
To prevent encountering such situations in the future, it is crucial for players to communicate effectively with their friends and coordinate the timing of achieving Best Friend status. Ensuring that both players are online and aware of the impending milestone can help them claim the XP before any unfriending occurs.
If players encounter similar issues with other friends, it is advisable to discuss the milestone achievement with them in advance. Engaging in open communication can prove beneficial in preventing misunderstandings and ensuring that both parties receive the XP rewards they rightfully earned.
Hi Leanna, we're sorry to hear that you didn't receive XP for achieving Best Friend milestones. If a friend removes you from their Friend List, you won't receive XP for those milestones. Thank you for your understanding! ^NF
— Niantic Support (@NianticHelp) July 20, 2023
In recent times, there have been reports of Pokémon GO players experiencing frustration due to encounters with XP leechers who unfriend them immediately. This unscrupulous behavior leaves genuine Trainers without the valuable “Best Friend” bonus and deprives them of having a true Best Friend in the game.
The issue arises when certain players take advantage of the friendship system solely for the purpose of gaining XP by sending and receiving gifts. Once they achieve the maximum friendship level and earn the coveted “Best Friend” status, they promptly unfriend the other player, denying them the opportunity to claim the XP rewards and enjoy the benefits of a lasting in-game friendship. As a result, genuine Trainers are left disappointed and disheartened by this exploitative tactic. It not only undermines the spirit of camaraderie and cooperation in Pokémon GO but also disrupts the meaningful connections that players can forge through the game.
In the dynamic world of Pokémon GO, cultivating strong relationships with friends is a vital aspect of the gaming experience. By continuing to interact with friends and exchanging gifts, players can steadily increase their friendship levels and unlock various in-game benefits along the way.
I personally befriend other players to stay that way for a long time. XP is just a bonus (I usually give the final trigger to my friend, since daily limitations prevent me from opening their gifts frequently). So, I never even once unfriend others. I’m sad that some people treat friends in GO like disposable mons/items. For all of Niantic’s so-called social mission, they sure enable people to be socially rude/disrespectful of actual social interaction.