Pokemon GO Third Ban Wave in 2017 Targets Bot Accounts
It seems that a new Pokemon GO wave ban is in full swing. Niantic is cracking down on bot accounts, and the numbers are going down fast. It’s anybody’s guess how long this ban will have the desired effect, since this is already the third wave in 2017. The previous two happened in late January and early March.
As reported by Pokemon GO Hub, people on various cheating and botting forums are reporting that their accounts are going down en masse. I took to several of those and, yes, they appear to be losing accounts in large numbers. No, I won’t link to any of them, because I don’t want to give them any traffic.
The ban wave seems to be hitting botting accounts mostly, though there is sparse evidence pointing to GPS spoofers also getting hit. However, I couldn’t confirm that info. For those that are new to the concepts, a bot account is basically a program playing the game. It’s usually used to level up an account far above what an average player can achieve. Later, these accounts can be either sold off or just used to make other trainer’s lives miserable.
GPS spoofing is using specialized apps that send false GPS information. This allows cheaters to basically teleport wherever they want without leaving their house. Additionally, they can use this to hatch Pokemon eggs in huge quantities, thereby gaining huge, unfair advantages.
It’s always nice to see Niantic cracking down on cheaters, but it’s kinda disheartening to see them already discussing regrouping strategies. The devs are basically fighting an uphill battle, and they deserve some recognition for it. Thank you, Niantic, for dealing with people that just want to make other’s lives miserable.
The funny thing is, I was playing some Pokemon GO on my way to work, and I was wondering why so many gyms are suddenly nearly empty. Now I know why. I also know that like 50% of trainers in my area are bots. Ain’t that just a joy?
