When a Pokémon Go event launches, it goes live in one place first: a remote island in the middle of the Pacific called Kiritimati.
In a bold move, YouTuber Trainer Tips (@trnrtips), who specializes in Pokémon Go tips, traveled to Kiritimati to answer one big question: Are there any real players there, or just spoofers?
He wrote in his video’s caption, “There’s a well-kept secret at the edge of the Pokémon GO map… I decided to go find it.”

Kiritimati, also known as Christmas Island, is one of the most isolated inhabited places on Earth. With roughly 7.3K residents and limited infrastructure, it isn’t the typical gamer destination. However, due to its UTC+14 time zone, the earliest on the planet, it’s the first place to see each new calendar day. That means Pokémon Go global events begin there first, making it a prime spot for in-game advantages.
Because of this, Kiritimati has become infamous among spoofers. These players manipulate their GPS location to virtually place themselves on the island, grabbing rare spawns, raid access, and bonuses hours before anyone else. Niantic, Inc. has long considered spoofing a violation of its terms of service, but the practice remains widespread. This is especially true around Go Fest, Community Days, and major global events.
A journey with no trainers in sight
In a July 14 video, Trainer Tips, real name Nick, documented the grueling, days-long trip to Kiritimati. His goal was to be physically present on the island when Pokémon Go Fest kicked off. While there, he joined several raids that appeared to include both remote and local players.
However, despite his efforts to find others playing in person, he didn’t encounter a single nearby trainer. Nick explored the island, searching for signs of activity, but the lobbies remained empty of locals.
His closest human contact with fellow trainers came in the form of two missionaries. One, from Canada, admitted they had played Pokémon Go… about five years ago.
Although Nick hoped for a historic meetup at one of the most unique locations on Earth, Kiritimati seemed to offer only virtual company. Moreover, unstable internet access added another barrier to real-world play.
Despite the lack of other Pokémon Go trainers, Trainer Tips’ video serves as a fascinating look into how geography, time zones, and technology intersect in the mobile gaming world. While his journey didn’t reveal any real-world players, it underscored just how far some will go, literally, to explore every corner of the Pokémon Go universe.
Trainer Tips did not respond immediately to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via Instagram DM.
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