Pokémon Go cheats are preventing players from beating gyms (2024)

published

Niantic finds it hard to ban them all

Pokémon Go cheats are preventing players from beating gyms (1)

Pokémon Go players are becoming frustrated with cheats who keep developing new methods faster than Niantic can ban them.

Cheating in Pokémon Go is almost as old as the game itself. Players have been using Pokémon Go cheats for years but always with the fear of a ban from developer Niantic. There is currently a three-strike system in place for players aiming to use third-party apps to gain an advantage in the game. However, despite these preventative measures there always seems to be more people circumventing the rules.

The most popular Pokémon Go-based subreddit r/PokemonGo currently has a thread about banning boasts about cheating as one of its top posts. In the comments one user complains in a thread of similar stories about local players bragging about spoofing:

friendly_reminder_we_ban_users_that_participate from r/pokemongo

Spoofing is using methods to trick the app into thinking you are somewhere you're not. You can use this method to catch far-away rare Pokémon, battle and maintain gyms, as well as hit Pokéstops out of range. People do this in tandem with auto clicker apps that go out and automatically catch Pokémon for them. There is a subreddit promoting just this with almost 200,000 active members.

@PokemonGoApp @NianticLabs How do you not have an anti-cheat for obvious cheaters like this?!??! Walked 114 kilometers in a single day? Yeah right pic.twitter.com/z0I9RHClKwFebruary 3, 2022

See more

There are other activities that members of the community find suspicious but cannot report without proof of cheating. One user talks about teams of level 50 players, the highest and most difficult rank in the mobile game, swarming gyms, and preventing legitimate players from playing. While it cannot be proven the Pokémon were gained through illegitimate means it seems unlikely so many were caught regularly.

friendly_reminder_we_ban_users_that_participate from r/pokemongo

Suspicious activity has been spotted by Twitter users also. One player claimed they encountered a Magikarp which soft-locked their game when they attempted to battle and accounts made up of just strings of numbers. Speaking privately to GamesRadar, another user shared screenshots and spoke about gyms surrounding them filled with high-level Pokémon which are healed many times more than should be possible when they are close to being defeated.

One of my local gyms currently has a dodgy Magikarp in it that softlocks your game when you try to battle it.I've also seen a bunch of accounts with names that were just strings of numbers, who all uploaded pokémon to the same gym after I was mysteriously kicked out mid-battle.February 11, 2022

See more

Unfortunately, it seems players have accepted things like this series of recent cheating as expected. Many have learned to accept that cheating in Pokémon Go is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

If you are still keen on playing Pokémon Go then check out our list of Pokémon Go best Pokémon.

Gaming deals, prizes and latest news

Get the best gaming deals, reviews, product advice, competitions, unmissable gaming news and more!

Pokémon Go cheats are preventing players from beating gyms (2)

Freelance News Writer

Freelance writer, full-time PlayStation Vita enthusiast, and speaker of some languages. I break up my days by watching people I don't know play Pokemon pretty fast.

Pokémon Go cheats are preventing players from beating gyms (2024)

FAQs

Can you get banned for Pokémon GO cheats? ›

Disciplinary actions:

If you receive the first and second strikes and continue to cheat, your account will be permanently banned.

Why can't I battle a gym? ›

If you can't battle the gym (and the gym is not your team color), it's because you are not close enough. As far as I know there's no limit on how many players can battle a gym at the same time.

Can people still cheat in Pokémon GO? ›

Sure, you can cheat pokemon into your game if you use a fake GPS cheat app to teleport yourself around and catch the best pokémon you possibly can.

What happens if you cheat on Pokémon GO? ›

Niantic has a long history of banning players caught spoofing, in Pokémon Go and in Ingress before it. In addition to potentially banning your account, Niantic also slashes out illegitimately obtained Pokémon, so they're useless in battle anyway. Botting: Botting is like spoofing but automated.

What gets you banned in Pokemon Go? ›

promoting or engaging in harassment against any individual or group, falsifying location, using emulators, modified or unofficial software, and/or accessing Pokémon GO clients or backends in an unauthorized manner including through the use of third party software or add-ons.

Can a Pokemon stay in a gym forever? ›

A Pokemon will stay in a gym until its “motivation" hits “0” - or until it is knocked out by a trainer of a different team. If you find an unpopular gym (with no nearby trainers), and drop the right defender into it, your defender may stay indefinitely, with regular feeding of golden berries.

What happens if your Pokemon stays in a gym for 24 hours? ›

You earn free PokéCoins for keeping your Pokémon on Gyms. The longer the Pokémon stay on the Gym, the more PokéCoins you earn. Be sure to give your Pokémon treats often to keep them on the Gym and maximize the PokéCoins you'll earn (up to the maximum bonus amount for the day).

Can I get my Pokemon back from a gym? ›

Your Pokémon won't be returned to your collection until it's knocked off the Gym, so choose carefully!

Can you tell if a Pokémon is cheated? ›

a- Check the EventDex. If it's not there, it's 99% hacked. Last attempt, try to google the OT and TID. If you see no exact match between Pokémon and OT, it's hacked.

Can you get banned forever in Pokemon Go? ›

The third and final step of Niantic's three-strike policy is a permanently banned Pokemon Go account. Regardless of the offenses, a third violation of the Trainer Guidelines will result in account termination.

Can Poke Genie get you banned? ›

Poke Genie is 100% safe to use and does not violate Niantic's TOS.

Can you get banned from Pokemon Go for GPS spoofing? ›

A spoofing app or any other third-party tool access to Pokemon Go usually results in a shadow ban. It mostly lasts for 7 to 14 days. In a temporary ban, your account would be suspended for a limited duration (a few weeks to maximum of 3 months).

Does Pokemon Go track you? ›

Pokémon Go uses GPS to track data related to your movement. As you run around hunting and catching Pokémon, Niantic, the game developer behind Pokémon Go, collects information from your mobile device.

How many soft bans can you get? ›

On average, it takes about 3 soft bans to permanently ban your account.

How do I know if I'm banned on Pokemon go? ›

Things that happen when you are soft banned : Pokestops won't work. You can try to spin it but nothing will happen. When you try to catch a pokemon, it runs away in the first try.

Is it illegal to sell Pokémon in Pokemon go? ›

Selling accounts in the United States isn't illegal, but often violates the terms of service of game developers and marketplaces. It also annoys some gamers, who find the practice dishonorable. Users' typical punishment for doing so is usually a ban.

How does Niantic detect multiple accounts? ›

The only mechanism Niantic could have for detecting multiaccounting is reports from other players, and I have never heard of them warning or banning someone for doing this. How can I get a Drill run attack for Beedrill In Pokemon Go?

Has Pokemon ever sued? ›

Pokémon Company sues Chinese mobile devs for $72M over Pokémon ripoff.

What is the penalty for hacked Pokemon? ›

Players caught using hacked Pokemon face the following penalties: restriction of online play for all Pokemon titles, restricted use of trading features in Pokemon HOME, or an indefinite suspension from Pokemon HOME.

Which Pokemon Cannot be shiny? ›

In addition to this, in Pokémon Black, White, Black 2 & White 2, several of the wild Pokémon are coded to not be shiny, specifically the legends Victini, Reshiram and Zekrom.

Why did I only get 50 coins for defending a gym for a week? ›

Additionally, if your Pokémon has been in a Gym for several days, they will only provide 50 coins in total when they come back to you. This also means that, if other Pokémon come back to you on that same day, you won't receive any more Coins - as you've already hit the cap for that day.

What is the longest someone has been in a gym in Pokémon GO? ›

Typically, a Pokemon will remain in a gym anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks, depending on how strong it is and how popular the location is – but one very impressive trainer has managed to last an incredible 1332 days in a gym. Niantic A Pokemon Go trainer held a gym for over three and a half years.

How do I make my house a PokéStop? ›

  1. Next on the map, you have to select the new pokestop. ...
  2. Drag the orange PokéStop pin to the most accurate location for your nomination.
  3. Once you think it's in the exact position, tap Confirm.
  4. Next, you need to take a photo of your nomination.

Why leave weak Pokémon in gyms? ›

Weak Pokémon require less potions, to restore to full health, after they are knocked out of the gym.

How many hours for 50 PokéCoins? ›

There's a limit, though — you can only earn 50 Coins per day. To earn the daily maximum, the Pokemon needs to be in the gym for eight hours and 20 minutes. With this in mind, you can strategize about which Pokemon you place where and when.

How to get PokéCoins for free? ›

How to get free PokeCoins
  1. Find a gym in your area that's the same color as your team.
  2. If a gym isn't in your team's color, you can battle the Pokemon in it to take over it.
  3. Once a gym is in your team's color, place a Pokemon inside it.
  4. When your Pokemon is defeated your PokeCoins will be delivered automatically.
Apr 12, 2023

Does it matter what Pokemon you leave in gym? ›

In high-turnover locations, the gym is going to go down no matter the strength of the defender. It doesn't matter if you've stuck a 3500CP Chansey or something in the gym, a determined attacker will take it down, so you might as well throw in something low power.

Can you bring a Pokemon home from a gym? ›

Pokémon you can't send to Pokémon HOME

Some Pokémon cannot be sent to Pokémon HOME, and thus cannot be selected on the GO Transporter screen. Such Pokémon include Spinda, favorited Pokémon, Buddy Pokémon, Pokémon defending Gyms, costumed Pokémon, Shadow Pokémon, and Mega-Evolved Pokémon.

How much CP does a Pokemon lose in a gym? ›

Motivation Reduction for Battles

After one Pokemon defending a gym loses, it will lose approximately 28% of its max CP. After a second loss, it will lose another 28% max CP. After a third loss, its motivation drops to zero, and the Pokemon is knocked out of the gym.

Do hacked Pokemon ruin your game? ›

As long as you don't show it off online or use it in multiplayer battles, nothing bad should happen. Maybe keep a box of any hacked Pokemon you receive as a sort of trophy case, to look but not touch. Just remember that no matter what you should never bring an obviously hacked Pokemon into an online activity.

What are hacked Shinies? ›

Anytime a Pokémon received from Surprise Trade has perfect competitive stats, that is a sign it is hacked. Another red flag is when the monster is shiny, on top of having the best stats. Finding a shiny Pokémon is extremely rare, and one with perfect values is nearly impossible.

Does Niantic ban spoofers? ›

That being said, spoofing locations can also trigger a soft ban. So, it's very important to be careful since the algorithms of pokemon go by Niantic are powerful and can detect players' location. If your account comes under the radar, they may permanently ban your account.

Will sniping get you banned Pokemon go? ›

Sniping is very similar to spoofing, which goes against the terms of use of the game. If you are caught multiple times, there is a good chance that you will get banned from using the app completely.

Is Pokegenie legal? ›

Will Poke Genie get me banned? Poke Genie is 100% safe to use and does not violate Niantic's TOS.

Is niantic ok with Poke Genie? ›

Poke Genie is 100% safe to use and does not violate Niantic's TOS.

Can you get banned for owning hacked Pokémon? ›

Click to start this article in

It seems that simply owning these Pokémon doesn't trigger any ban, but taking them online in any capacity does. This includes trading with someone who is sending over a hacked Pokémon, so innocent players could also be hit with bans.

What Pokémon got banned from Ubers? ›

Mega Rayquaza was at a completely different level than the whole metagame, stronger than even Arceus, the God and creator Himself. Thus, it wasn't a surprise when Mega Rayquaza was banned from Ubers.

What is the 7 day warning in Pokemon Go? ›

This strike will last for approximately 7 days. After this period, your gameplay experience will fully be restored. If you do not remedy your behavior within or after the 7 day period, you will advance to the next strike.

What happens if Niantic catches you spoofing? ›

If your account was soft banned due to the spoofing location, you can expect a soft ban of two hours. This may increase to 12 hours in case you are banned multiple times. Be aware of the repetitive ban since it can cost you a lot.

Is spoofing your location illegal? ›

Is it illegal to spoof your location? Spoofing somebody's device and changing its location without the owner's consent is illegal. A fake GPS location can disrupt public services, and law enforcement takes this type of offense seriously.

Does Pokémon record your walk even when you're out for the app? ›

Adventure Sync is an optional mode that will allow you to record your kilometers traveled even when the Pokémon GO app isn't open. You'll be able to stay active and earn Buddy Candy or hatch Eggs without significantly impacting your device's battery life.

Does Pokemon Go invade privacy? ›

Pokémon GO collects a range of personal and sensitive information including geolocation data, contact information, first and last name, email address, telephone number, and postal address, as well as content users share or upload, such as photos (including any metadata included in your photos and content).

Do Pokémon walk behind you? ›

Pokémon may follow the player in most outdoor areas, such as towns and routes, but are returned to their Poké Balls in indoor locations and certain other areas, like the lakes of Sinnoh.

How to bypass Pokemon Go cooldown? ›

So, to bypass the ban, you should wait at least two hours after committing an action at one place and then moving forward with an action at another place. This way, you can easily bypass or avoid the Pokémon Go Cooldown and save yourself from getting banned for a specific time.

How do you get unbanned from Pokemon Go? ›

Ban appeals must be submitted via web form.

To send a ban appeal, click on the "Submit a Ban Appeal" button down below and fill out the corresponding form.

What is shadow ban Pokemon Go? ›

A shadow ban prevents players from seeing any rare Pokemon on the map, but allows them to catch common Pokemon, participate in raids, and hatch eggs. Shadow bans come with an explicit notice that is delivered to the player upon login and requires acknowledgment.

Can you get banned from Pokémon Go for using Poke Genie? ›

Poke Genie is 100% safe to use and does not violate Niantic's TOS.

Is Pokemon Go Plus Bannable? ›

The safest bet is to use the official PokéBall Plus or the Pokémon GO Plus, as Niantic won't ban them at all for using their products.

How do you bypass a ban on Pokémon Go? ›

The best way to unban Pokemon Go is to go to the Pokestop and spin the coins about 40 times in a row until the Pokestop's color turns purple. Also, you can check if the ban is lifted by catching a wild Pokemon; if you can catch it, it means the ban is lifted.

How many bans can you get on Pokémon Go? ›

There are several types of warnings and bans in Pokemon Go as follows: Activity Warning, 3rd Party Application Warning, Softban, Shadowban, Temporary ban, and Permanent ban. Pokemon Go players can get these warnings/strikes for multiply reasons, but most players are warned or banned for breaking Pokemon Go's TOS.

How much warnings do you get until you get banned on Pokemon Go? ›

On the first strike, you'll get a warning message. You'll still be able to play, technically, but you won't see anything even remotely rare for seven days. On the second strike, they'll close your account for a month. On the third strike, the account is banned for good.

Will Pokemon Go ban you for using a VPN? ›

Will Pokémon Go ban my account if I use a VPN? It shouldn't, as long as you connect to a VPN before changing your device's GPS location and starting the Pokémon Go app.

How long do Pokemon Go bans last? ›

For example, when someone plays Pokémon Go as a passenger on a vehicle, they are effectively experiencing a brief soft ban, as the effects are quite similar. However, in the case of spoofing or account sharing, the duration of the ban can be up to 120 minutes.

Will I get banned for using Gotcha evolve? ›

Please try again. A: No, as of now you are not banned from using the Gotcha. The Gotchas can be paired to 1 device. I've used multiple accounts on that device and the Gotcha works regardless of what account I'm on.

What happens after 30 day ban Pokemon Go? ›

Pokemon Go 30 Day Suspension

Unlike the warning, this prevents you from being able to log into to the game and play altogether. A suspension in Pokemon Go account is temporary, lasting for 30 days. However, unlike the warning, you can submit a Pokemon Go ban appeal for it, even if it's just a temporary suspension.

What is a Softban? ›

Being softbanned means that you did not properly wait the required cooldown time before attempting an action in a new location. Softbans are only temporary and you'll be able to play again once you finish waiting out the cooldown time.

How many times can you get soft banned in Pokemon Go? ›

You can get unlimited numbers of “soft bans” if by soft bans you mean violation of the cooldown period (stops spin but give no items and all Pokemon flee).

Can auto catchers get you banned? ›

Auto catchers work by using a single red PokéBall and applying that catch rate. If it doesn't get caught, that's it, and you can't try again. That Pokémon will flee immediately and be lost to you. Auto catching isn't cheating and you run no risk at all of being banned.

Will spoofing get you banned? ›

Spoofing location is one of those ways to get progress in the game quickly and easily. Moving around, in reality, seems like a hectic task especially when you have an opportunity to spoof location and play the game without any hassle. However, due to the extensive use of spoofing apps, users get banned from the game.

Why are people protesting Pokémon GO? ›

Pokemon GO players are organizing a "strike" to protest unpopular changes Niantic is making to the game. The strike, more accurately described as a short-term boycott, comes in response to Niantic's upcoming price increase on Remote Raid Passes but also protests the game's monetization policy in general.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Pres. Lawanda Wiegand

Last Updated:

Views: 6523

Rating: 4 / 5 (71 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Pres. Lawanda Wiegand

Birthday: 1993-01-10

Address: Suite 391 6963 Ullrich Shore, Bellefort, WI 01350-7893

Phone: +6806610432415

Job: Dynamic Manufacturing Assistant

Hobby: amateur radio, Taekwondo, Wood carving, Parkour, Skateboarding, Running, Rafting

Introduction: My name is Pres. Lawanda Wiegand, I am a inquisitive, helpful, glamorous, cheerful, open, clever, innocent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.