AsPokémon GOrolls out Gigantamax raids to its player base, several users have reported that their accounts have been banned for no apparent reason, sparking additional backlash to go along with criticisms of the new raids. Introduced toPokémon GOon October 26, Gigantamax raids serve as an upgraded version of the Dynamax raids implemented on September 10, allowing up to 40 players at once to take on the raids. Unfortunately, however, the feature has proved to be controversial among the game’s player base.
Exacerbating the issue,severalGOplayers have had their accounts banned for seemingly no reason, as detailed in thisRedditthread, with many players having received a 7-day ban, and some others having received longer bans of up to 30 days. Notably, the bans are largely for “using modified client software or unauthorized third-party software”, but banned players have universally reported no activity that would violateGO’s Terms of Service, and many of the bans have since been reversed.
Seemingly Random Bans Roll Out In Pokémon Go
Niantic Lifts Bans On “Incorrectly” Suspended Accounts
Luckily, in response to backlash from banned players, many of whom made their concerns known on Reddit and X,a statement issued by@NianticHelp on Xhas clarified that the bans were unintended, stating that “some accounts may have incorrectly received a suspension or ban message”, and thatthe bans have “been cleared from affected accounts”. Currently, in the previously mentioned Reddit thread, usersEuro-popandCoocooKittenhave reported that their bans were lifted, although, in the case of the latter, the account still has a 1-day warning in effect for the alleged use of a third-party service.
In response to the post on X,several users have claimed that their accounts are still banned- permanently in some cases - with the official Niantic Support account responding that banned users should either send in a ban appeal or fill out a linked form to help Niantic sort out which accounts still need to be unbanned. Some banned players have also complained about missing content, as their bans may have overlapped with scheduled gatherings for Gigantamax raids, and some are requesting some sort of compensation for the issue.
Gigantamax Launch Met With Heavy Criticism
Incorrect Bans Add To Gigantamax Raid Backlash
In general,the bans have only added to the backlash that Niantic is already receivingoverPokémon GO’s controversially-implemented Dynamax raids, which have, in turn, seemingly gotten worse with the addition ofGigantamax raids. In particular, one major complaint is that the difficulty of Gigantamax raids means that full-sized, 40-person parties are almost mandatory to win, which for many players is unreasonably difficult to organize - especially for players in less populated areas, who might have to actually travel somewhere else to find an appropriately-sized party.
While the bans seem to have been a mistake on Niantic’s part and are in the process of being reversed, the combination of unjustified bans and poorly received content has put a damper on many players' enthusiasm for the game, causing some to quit entirely. WhilePokémonGOhas managed to retain popularity among its player base, further mistakes like these may continue to drive more long-time players away from the game.
