Pokemon GO Players Exploiting Routes Feature Face Bans for XL Candy Farming
Pokemon GO developer Niantic is cracking down on players who exploit the Routes feature to farm XL Candies. The exploit allows players to easily gather hundreds of XL Candies, but Niantic is taking strict action against those who take advantage of it.
Highlights:
- Niantic is banning Pokemon GO players who exploit the Routes feature to farm XL Candies, with bans ranging from 30 days to nearly a year.
- Players used outside apps to trick their phone’s GPS into completing the Routes instantly, using an auto clicker for quick completion.
- Some players argue that accidental GPS drift could lead to exploiting the feature, but others find it unlikely. The Routes feature also has other problems like finding routes and technical difficulties.
Niantic introduced the Routes feature to Pokemon GO last month as a way to encourage exploration. Routes are pre-defined paths for players to follow, set by Niantic, promotional partners, or regular players. Completing a Route rewards players with various in-game benefits.
However, some players recently discovered an exploit that allowed them to easily farm XL Candies using the Routes mechanic. By leaving the Pokemon GO app running overnight, players could accumulate hundreds of XL Candies. One YouTuber even claimed to earn over 100 XL Candies per hour using this method.
Unfortunately for those hoping to exploit the game, Niantic caught wind of this and is taking action against players who use the exploit. Bans range from 30 days to 230 days, with repeat offenders potentially facing permanent bans.
The exploit involves using third-party apps to manipulate the phone’s GPS, tricking it into thinking the Route has been completed. Players then use an auto clicker to quickly restart and complete the Route, taking advantage of their phone’s CPU speed.
While some argue that accidental GPS drift could lead to unintentional exploitation, the scale of GPS drift required to abuse the feature seems highly unlikely. Most players agree that those using the exploit were knowingly cheating.
However, the Routes feature itself has faced criticism from players for various issues. Some players struggle to find routes, while others encounter technical difficulties or routes that pass through private property. Bugs and crashes have also been reported, indicating a less-than-smooth rollout of the new feature.
Pokemon GO is available on both Android and iOS platforms.
Note: This article is a news report and presents the facts as they are. No additional comments or opinions have been added.
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