Can you recall Pokemon from Gyms in Pokemon GO?

By Spencer Whitworth
Modified Apr 30, 2024 10:11 GMT
Can you recall Pokemon from Gyms in Pokemon GO?
Can defenders be recalled from gyms in Pokemon GO? (Image via Niantic)

A major part of Pokemon GO's mechanics involves players engaging in gym battles, where one of the three in-game teams can claim a gym and trainers can place their Pokemon to defend the gym and accrue Pokecoins in the process. While defenders can be defeated and forced out of a gym, can trainers recall their Pokemon from defending gyms? To date, the answer is no.

Although trainers have long requested Niantic to add a gym defender recall feature to Pokemon GO, at the moment, the only way for a Pokemon to be removed from a gym is for it to be defeated in battle and lose all of its motivation (denoted by a filling/depleting heart icon). Otherwise, the defending Pokemon will remain in the gym until it is forced out.

Pokemon GO sorely needs a gym defender recall function

Many Pokemon GO trainers have lost access to their Pokemon due to a lack of gym recall (Image via Niantic)
Many Pokemon GO trainers have lost access to their Pokemon due to a lack of gym recall (Image via Niantic)

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While the current Pokemon GO gym attack and defense system works well enough in high-population areas, there's a very different experience for players in lower-population locales or who have traveled to them. Trainers have shared stories that some Pokemon they placed as gym defenders have been stuck there for weeks, months, or even years.

Although Niantic has made strides to add more Pokestops and gyms across the world in Pokemon GO, that doesn't mean that all of them are being used. Additionally, some local communities in certain areas have effectively broken apart as GO has fluctuated in popularity. All this has led to gyms being claimed and not being challenged, leaving the defenders stuck in gyms for prolonged periods.

Not every gym in Pokemon GO is frequented by players (Image via Niantic)
Not every gym in Pokemon GO is frequented by players (Image via Niantic)

By implementing a gym defender recall ability in Pokemon GO, trainers could at least retrieve creatures that have spent an immense amount of time defending a gym that isn't being attacked. Niantic may be concerned about trainers using the recall function to exploit attacks on more popular gyms, but, certainly, they can figure out some way to ensure fairness for gyms that are attacked.

For example, Niantic could introduce a set time limit that once a defending Pokemon surpasses, it can be recalled. Perhaps the developer could introduce a recall cooldown to prevent players from constantly placing gym defenders and recalling them. Whatever the case, trainers have been vocal about gym recall being a desperately needed feature after years of losing access to Pokemon.

Niantic may also want to prevent players from constantly placing and recalling Pokemon from gyms to farm Pokecoins too quickly, which is somewhat counterintuitive to their revenue. Since Pokecoins can only be obtained via microtransactions, promo codes, or by defending gyms, Niantic may lose money if the recall feature is abused, but some safeguards could be instituted.

Pokemon GO players have called for a gym recall feature for years (Image via Niantic)
Pokemon GO players have called for a gym recall feature for years (Image via Niantic)

Put plainly, gym recall is a common sense feature that should have been introduced to Niantic's mobile title years ago. Trainers have continued to lose access to their Pokemon simply by placing them in the wrong gym, and in some cases that has resulted in the loss of important Pokemon that players use often.

If Niantic feels the need to place guardrails around the recall feature, players will likely understand, but some progress is better than none for trainers who have lost access to their Pokemon for months and years just for playing the game as intended.