But you still need someone else to trade, and that will be an issue.

What about gengar, machamp, rhyperior, accelgor, excavalier...? All of those pokemon evolve through trade, if you don't have anyone to trade with, you won't be able to get them. The GTS was the perfect answer for this, and it's gone now...

Maybe they integrated it with Pokemon Home.

Is it me, or the game seems more and more like it is being rushed a bit? It will probably review well enough and seel a tremendous amount, but maybe they should have released this one next year.

Rushed seems to be an understatement. Considering they've been releasing pokemon games annually since Sun/Moon, and they have to suddenly make an HD game (alongside Let's Go and Town), without the chance of delay due to corporate mandate. Yeah, it's being pushed allright.

Is this to say there is no way to trade Pokemon with people online? I would like to think that the lack of the string "GTS" appearing in game code is not enough evidence to warrant such a claim, but maybe people have done their research. What if there is a new way to network with people in game?

They used to have a way to connect online even when you were just playing the game (not trading), and by doing so you would get virtual Pokemon to roam around and give treats and stuff on the bottom screen. I liked this. Also, you could sync your achievements to the Pokemon Global website, or whatever it was called.

I still find it hard to believe that there wouldn't be a way to trade Pokemon over the net, but I really hope they have a good way to battle others. I never got into it myself, but I always liked the idea of being able to get into it if I so desired. Just because I don't use a feature doesn't mean I'm not glad it's there :P

Im pretty sure Pokemon Home is going to replace GTS.

Is this the system where you blind trade? Like I can give someone a level 1 Pidgey and get a Mewtwo in return?

Yes. Got my first celebi that way.

This is just a rumor but as rumors go, I hope this is as fake as Trump's love for Melania. The GTS was essential for me in X/Y and Sun/Moon.

Need to know whats taking its place. Better not be more you can only trade/battle friends bs a la Lets Go.