Apparently, there has been a wave of bans in Pokémon GO related to the “catch trick.” Niantic has already announced a solution.
What is happening in Pokémon GO? As reported by the portal “Pokémon GO Hub“, there has been a wave of bans in Pokémon GO.
According to the report, the temporary bans affected trainers who neither spoofed nor violated the terms of use or otherwise cheated in Pokémon GO. The stated reason for the bans was “Unusual activities on the account.”
There was quickly speculation that the bans were related to the “catch trick”. Some trainers like to use it to bypass the long catch animation.
And indeed, this seems to be the problem – although Niantic apparently did not intend it at all.
What does Niantic say about the issue?
“Pokémon GO Hub” reached out to Niantic and confirmed that using the catch trick could indeed trigger the bans. At the same time, it should be an unintended occurrence.
According to the report, Niantic plans to lift the erroneous bans shortly, and this is expected to happen on November 16. They are also reportedly working on a solution to the problem itself. However, it is probably wise to refrain from using the catch trick for safety reasons.
Meanwhile, there is still no official post from support on the topic. We will keep you updated as soon as further information becomes available.
What exactly is the catch trick? Normally, you throw a ball at a Pokémon, which then disappears into the ball, and you have to wait until it shakes three times. Once this happens, the Pokémon stays caught.
However, this animation takes a comparatively long time and annoys some trainers. Especially during big events or standard occasions like Community Days or Spotlight Hours, trainers want to catch many Pokémon in a row. They like to save time.
The catch animation can be skipped by using the “catch trick,” which has been in the game since 2018. A bit of finger acrobatics is required for this. We have described how the trick works here.
If done correctly and the catch is successful, the Pokémon will appear in storage without you seeing the animation and catch screen. If the catch fails, the monster reappears on the map, and you have to repeat the procedure.
Currently, you should consider whether to forgo the trick to avoid risking a ban.
Do you use the catch trick in Pokémon GO? Or are you currently affected by one of the bans? Tell us in the comments!
If you want to know what else is happening in the game: Here are the events in November 2023 in Pokémon GO.
