It only took a few days for Pokémon Go players to discover a wide range of ways to cheat, from GPS spoofing to interactive maps like PokéVision, where users can search for specific types of pokemon.
Unfortunately for those seeking a more streamlined way to catch ’em all, it looks like PokéVision has already been shut down.
Hey guys. We wish we had some news for you
— Yang (@PokeVisionGo) July 31, 2016
At this moment, we are respecting Niantic and Nintendo’s wishes.
Will keep you guys posted
<3
Niantec updated Pokémon Go this weekend, with a couple of significant effects: the “footsteps” function has disappeared, and many users discovered that their accounts had been reset—although, don’t worry, it’s fixable.
The loss of those little footsteps is a significant change, because it goes hand-in-hand with the death of PokéVision. The footsteps hinted at which Pokémon were nearby, and while they didn’t always work very well, the update means that Pokémon Go has become more of a game of chance. And since trackers like PokéVision rely on the game’s own tracker, cheating just got a whole lot harder.
By losing the footsteps entirely, Niantec killed two birds with one stone. It removed the problem of dealing with the footsteps’ notoriously glitchy behavior, and undercut the popularity of unofficial trackers. However, we won’t be surprised if people quickly find a new way to circumvent the game’s rules. Pokémon Go players are a wily bunch.
H/T Kotaku
