Since the launch of the hit mobile game, "Pokemon Go," a number of third-party apps and tools like PokeVision have surfaced to help players find coveted Pokemon in a more convenient manner. However, game developer Niantic Labs are cracking down on these services since they are described by many as a form of in-game cheating.
John Hanke, Niantic Labs CEO, stated that they were aware of certain services that helped "Pokemon Go" players locate Pokemon in a much easier way than how they intended people to play the game. He hinted that they were going to shut down PokeVision and other related tools that would place certain users at an advantage compared to "Pokemon Go" players who used the traditional approach.
Forbes noted that PokeVision.com was unavailable beginning July 30, 2016. Yangcheng Liu, cofounder of PokeVision, confirmed that their site was possibly shutdown but did not share details whether Niantic Labs threatened to resort to legal action.
PokeHound.com, another third-party service, was shut down, most likely or violating Niantic Labs' "Pokemon Go" terms of service. PokeBliss was also stopped from gathering data from the "Pokemon Go" servers. Niantic Labs continued to block third-party access to its servers, with the primary purpose of bringing the game back to its original state, absent of extra tools and hacks.
Previously, PokeVision.com peaked at 27 million unique users in a span of five days, as "Pokemon Go" players looked for better and more effective ways of catching all the adorable creatures in the game. The free tool generally helped players locate nearby Pokemon by breaking their relative distances.
The third-party tools would create real-time maps of "Pokemon Go" locations, which was actually a violation of the company's terms of service. John Hanke explained that he was not a fan of such third-party services because "Pokemon Go" players are only hurting themselves by taking the fun out of the game.
GameRant revealed that while PokeVision and others were shut down, a new mobile tracking app has appeared, called Smart Poke 2. The Android-exclusive app presents the available Pokemon nearby, their rarity level and duration in a certain spot. Similar to others like it, the "Pokemon Go" third-party service may soon be stopped by Niantic Labs. More updates and details on "Pokemon Go" are expected soon.
