Niantic has successfully addressed a significant exploit in Pokémon Go that allowed unscrupulous players to achieve automatic victories in battles. Those who engaged in this practice have faced appropriate penalties.
Battle League Exploit Exposed
The controversial issue first came to light on December 31, 2024, when a player, known as JukkaBukka, ascended through the Pokémon Go Battle League by causing opponents’ games to crash, thus securing wins without actual gameplay. This manipulation led to JukkaBukka reaching the prestigious Legend rank without utilizing any Pokémon in battle.
Resolution and Consequences for Cheaters
In a recent update, Niantic’s official support team announced via their Twitter/X account that the exploit has been eliminated. Players can no longer cheat their way to victory through this method. Furthermore, those who profited from this glitch have seen their Battle League records adjusted to remove any illegitimate wins.
Trainers, we have resolved an issue affecting GO Battle League where specific avatar item combinations were causing the app to crash. We have updated GO Battle League records to remove any victories resulting from this exploit. #PokemonGO
— Niantic Support (@NianticHelp) January 10, 2025
Details of the Exploit
The root cause of this exploit has been traced back to a specific combination of avatar items, notably involving Allister’s Mask. Allister, the Ghost-type Gym Leader from the Generation 8 games, wears a distinctive white mask that players could unlock in Pokémon Go.
Impact on Gameplay
Players recognized that wearing Allister’s Mask in tandem with certain clothing items, such as the Wooloo Jacket, led to crashes. However, this glitch was not widespread, as the mask was only available as a reward for players reaching Veteran rank during a limited-time Max Out season. Consequently, many players remained oblivious to the exploit.
Community Reactions
While players had flagged this issue prior to the occurrence of Battle League victories, it is somewhat surprising that it took Niantic this long to implement a fix. Known for their deliberate pace in addressing game issues, the urgency behind resolving such a critical glitch affecting the game’s PvP dynamics should have been a priority.
Fortunately, the exploit involving avatar combinations has now been rectified, ensuring that players cannot achieve their goals through dishonest means. Unlike the notorious MissingNo glitch that allowed players to attain Champion status in the early Pokémon titles, such practices are not welcome in Pokémon Go.
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