Niantic to punish Pokémon Go cheaters with mark of shame

Enlarge / Good grief. (credit: PopUpTee.com)

It has been just a month since Poki(C)mon Go players began noticing that Niantic had started "shadowbanning" accounts that use third-party trackers and bot software, limiting them so they only see common Poki(C)mon. Now, the company is going further to ensure ill-gotten beasts are publicly identified as such and don't negatively impact the multiplayer experience.

In a post from its verified Reddit account, Niantic Support gave an update regarding "Poki(C)mon caught using third-party services that circumvent normal gameplay":

With the announcement of Raid Battles and the new battle features, we are staying true on our commitment to ensuring that Poki(C)mon Go continues to be a fun and fair experience for all Trainers. Starting today, Poki(C)mon caught using third-party services that circumvent normal gameplay will appear marked with a slash in the inventory and may not behave as expected. We are humbled by the excitement for all the new features we announced yesterday. This is one small part of our continued commitment to maintaining the integrity of our community and delivering an amazing Poki(C)mon Go experience.

What Niantic means by Poki(C)mon "not behav[ing] as expected" is unclear, but the wording suggests these beasts may not be effective in the game's recently announced raid battle and expanded gym features. That coming overhaul will allow six unique Poki(C)mon to be assigned to each individual gym, and it will let players team up for cooperative raids against ultra-powerful Poki(C)mon. We're guessing Poki(C)mon marked with a slash won't be able to fight for those coveted gym slots, at the very least.

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