Any massively popular multiplayer game finds itself a victim of cheating some way. How the game’s makers respond can be critical to the game’s continued success. Such is the case with Pokémon GO. Developer Niantic has announced that they are permanently banning players who cheat.
“After reviewing many reports of in-game cheating, we have started taking action against players taking unfair advantage of and abusing Pokémon GO. Moving forward, we will continue to terminate accounts that show clear signs of cheating,” said a post on the official website.
In Pokémon GO, most of the cheating involves bots that allow you play the game without leaving your house, or your desk for that matter. The bots trick the game into thinking you’re walking around by sending fake GPS coordinates to the servers. This means you can easily catch all Pokémon, visit unlimited Pokéstops to get items, and even attack Gyms. The latter is the biggest issue as it’s currently the only competitive element of the game. Capturing and holding Gyms can be more difficult because the Pokémon already there are massively powerful.
“Our main priority with Pokémon GO is to provide a fair, fun, and legitimate game experience for all players. If our system has determined that you cheated, then you will receive an email stating that your account has been terminated.”
Players who think their accounts have been banned can appeal the decision to Niantic, who will look at the account and make a final decision.
