Niantic cracks down on Pokémon Go cheats with lifetime bans

Smash-hit mobile game developer takes action against bot-makers and cheaters who have been driving users from the game

Poki(C)mon Go cheaters are starting to get their comeuppance, as game developer Niantic has begun issuing lifetime bans and is pursuing legal action against bot developers.

Cheaters have been using bots and tools capable of playing 24 hours a day, seven days a week, tricking the location-tracking system of the game to make it appear the player is walking around and catching Poki(C)mon. This has led to very powerful players and monsters that have rendered the Poki(C)mon gyms (battle arenas which make up the half the game that isn't simply catching monsters) unassailable for most other players.