Which hardware feature inspired Pokémon's trading concept between players?

The Game Link Cable inspired Pokémon's trading concept between players.

Satoshi Tajiri saw the Game Boy's link capability as a way to make creatures move between players' systems. Instead of designing a game based only on competition, he imagined players collecting rare creatures and exchanging them with friends.

The idea also connected with Tajiri's childhood interest in insect collecting. The Game Link Cable transformed that solitary hobby into a social game mechanic: some Pokémon could be obtained only by trading between game versions, encouraging players to communicate and cooperate.

The original Pokémon games used the cable for both trading and battles. This feature helped distinguish Pokémon from many other role-playing games of the period. Wireless trading and online connectivity later replaced the physical cable in newer generations, but the original social concept remained central.