How to exchange a Gift with Mateo in Pokemon GO
If you're wondering who Mateo is in Pokemon GO or how to find him to exchange a Gift with other Trainers, you'll find all the answers you need right here.
Mateo is a brand new character in Pokemon GO who lets you exchange Gifts with other Trainers around the world! Here's everything you need to know about this new feature.
There are loads of iconic characters in Pokemon GO, from Professor Willow to the Team GO Rocket Leaders. Now it's time to add Mateo to that lineup, as this friendly researcher will greet you at the end of Routes to offer you a Gift exchange.
How to find Mateo in Pokemon GO
The only way to find Mateo right now is to finish a Route in Pokemon GO. Routes are paths created by other Trainers. They can be accessed by tapping the 'Nearby' menu at the bottom right-hand corner of the map screen and then scrolling across to the 'Route' tab.
From here, you can tap 'See nearby routes' to get a list of all of the Routes near your current location. If you want to meet Mateo as quickly as possible, you can filter by length and choose the shortest Route or look for one that's close to your location so you don't have to travel too far.
When you approach the end of a Route, Mateo should appear as an NPC on the overworld map next to the PokeStop that marks the end of your Route. Tap on him and he'll ask if you want to take part in a Gift exchange with another Trainer.
Mateo isn't appearing for some Trainers
Before you attempt to find Mateo, be aware that the new feature doesn't appear to be working for some players. I followed two Routes to completion after the Along The Routes event went live on December 5, 2023, and Mateo didn't appear at the end of either of them.
I tried all of the usual tricks - spinning the PokeStop at the end of the Route, walking away and coming back, closing and reopening the app - but nothing worked, which was a little frustrating. Keep this in mind before you venture out into the cold and rain like I did.
How to exchange a Gift with Mateo
If Mateo does appear at the end of your Route, he will ask if you want to take part in a Gift exchange. To do this, you'll need to choose one of your own Gifts to share, and in return, you'll receive a Gift from a random Trainer anywhere in the world.
It's possible to receive Eggs in Gifts that have been exchanged this way, so make sure you clear out your Egg storage before speaking to Mateo if that's what you're hoping to get out of this new feature!
Also, be aware that you can only participate in a Gift exchange with Mateo once per day, so don't waste your time trying to find him multiple times. Simply wait until the following day to try again.
That's everything you need to know about Mateo! Visit our Pokemon homepage for more guides, including the latest Spotlight Hour schedule and the Raid Bosses you can battle right now.
About The Author
Daniel Megarry
Daniel is GGRecon’s Deputy Guides Editor. He graduated from university with a degree in Journalism & English Language before covering video games and LGBTQ+ culture at publications including Gay Times and Dexerto. His favourite games include Pokemon, Kingdom Hearts, Resident Evil, and anything Nintendo. You can reach him on [email protected].
