Pokémon GO Gym Update Rolls Out, Brings New Hacking Penalties

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A much-anticipated update to Pokémon GO is rolling out across iTunes and Google Play which includes re-designed gyms and an all new badge system, but those trying to illicitly catch Pokémon may be less than pleased. Posted to Reddit by A Niantic staff member, the game’s developer has a new plan to combat use of third-party programs in order to keep gameplay fair.

With the announcement of Raid Battles and the new battle features, we are staying true on our commitment to ensuring that Pokémon GO continues to be a fun and fair experience for all Trainers. Starting today, Pokémon caught using third-party services that circumvent normal gameplay will appear marked with a slash in the inventory and may not behave as expected. We are humbled by the excitement for all the new features we announced yesterday.This is one small part of our continued commitment to maintaining the integrity of our community and delivering an amazing Pokémon GO experience.

While short on details, it certainly seems like a step in the right direction to make the game more fair for players who spend time exploring he real world to catch Pokémon.

In addition, the Fire &a Ice Solstice Event has been extended by 24 hours!

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1,735 thoughts on “Pokémon GO Gym Update Rolls Out, Brings New Hacking Penalties”

  2. I’m so sick of work, old people keep bugging me to lift and load stuff and they don’t even tip.
    Just want to go home and finish Midsummer Festival so I can get this new toy
    [Set of Matches]
    “Set yourself on fire, for reasons”

    Reply

  3. Who in Arceus’ name thought having the Lucky Egg be a rare item on a rare Pokémon was okay? Like jeez how easy it was to get made XY and ORAS way easier if you used it and I can respect that but I honestly didn’t think it existed before then

    Reply

    • They technically gave you one free in BW, honestly who cares.
      I just feel each generation of new players are dumber and lazier than the last so Gamefreak has been dumbing down the difficulty
      And besides Lucky Eggs are just good to have around and it’s really your business if you use em

      But if your one of those dingleberries who gives his every teammate a Lucky Egg to use then its overboard

      Reply

      • There’s difficult and then there’s tedious, and what GameFreak has been doing is making their game a lot less tedious.

        And it’s a Platinum Nuzlocke, unless I plan on switching my whole team on one thing I won’t need more than one.

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      • I do kind of hate the fact in Sun and Moon so many items are rare, but necessary for things especially why do they just give item for Magmortar and Electavire, but no decency to let Weavile’s just get given!

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      • At least they said b2w2 would take place 2 years after the Originals and the games had 2 in the name and they didn’t reveal it after a long pokken trailer.

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    • I’m disappointed that USUM doesn’t appear to be something more interesting, but people need to move on. They’re focusing too much on the “alternate story” idea. You could say that Emerald and Platinum were technically “alternate stories” of their original games too. We don’t know for sure what USUM are, but one thing they are for sure NOT are sequels. People just need to move on…..Also you can’t really compare actual sequels to a reg 3rd version…….

      Reply

  5. Earthen just reminded me of one of my biggest hatred’s since Gen.4

    Why on the F*CKING EARTH IS WEAVILE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET???!!! In Sinnoh you get its item in a hidden room on VR! Johto at the Battle Frontier post game and Sneasel is only available post game without trade! BW Route 13 and Gear Station (Understandable because they don’t appear here at all). BW2 Giant Chasm and Gear Station which is pretty late but understandable. XY and ORAS both only available post game for battling in the stupid mansion! And Grah! Sun and Moon… only available on 5% of Jangmo-o and 50% on the extremely rare Kommo-o!!!!!!

    I mean would it kill them to make Weavile easier to obtain, I mean they just give you a F*cking Latios/Latias, but have no balls to give a great Pokemon any actual way to be obtained before Post-Game in the games they appear in!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  7. @People who make stories for their play thoughs of Pokémon: any of you ever shared your stories or do you keep them to yourself?

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  9. since i got trainersonas on the mind (and i’m uber pissed off)
    do you sometimes give your pokemon backstories, personality traits and so forth?
    if so name like 3 you know by heart

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    • Demeter the Lurantis (First Sun run) – Caught by here trainer after she stole berries off him. As she was injured, she could not hunt as she normally would. She was grateful, and to repay the favour, assisted her trainer in defeating Totem Wishiwashi by taking down its allies and lowering its health. Following this, she decided to remain with her trainer and is one of his best battling Pokémon.

      Proud, motherly, and resourceful.

      Bablyon the Salazzle (First Sun run) – Was causing trouble in the Wela Volcano Park by using her pheromones on all male (Pokémon and people) visitors and having them serve her as a queen. As a result, only females and those immune to the pheromones (such as my trainer and Kiawe) had to bust them free. Demeter battled Bablyon in order to free her comrades who’d fallen under her spell, and Bablyon the decided that a trainer would pamper her better than some unwilling servants.

      Snobby, demanding, yet fiercly protective.

      Petaya the Salamence (First AS run) – As the hero of this story was training to attempt the Pokémon League, an aggressive Bagon attacked. She was captured to help against Drake, master of dragons, yet was unruly and disobedient. However, when her trainer showed interest in helping Bagon fly one day, she gained a bit of respect, before fully trusting him when they bonded whilst trapped in high tide on the basement of Shoal Cave.

      Curious, aggressive, but ambitious

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    • My umbreon was found as a dirty Eevee in an alley in Hearthome City. I gained his trust, it quickly became apparent that he suffered from self-esteem issues so I trained him up and won countless contests and gave him multiple ribbonbor he could feel validated. And we’ve been inseparable ever since. As for my Arbok he was gifted to me as an egg by my father before he went on an expedition to a far away region and never returned. That’s pretty much it. I haven’t thought up a third for any other pokemon.

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    • keeping them short and sweet

      Drilbur: after dealing with the Team Plasma fiasco in Wellspring cave i nearly tripped over a burrow belonging to a small timid Drilbur, after trying to fight it, it attempted to use Rock Slide which caused water leak flushing us down a subterranean water vent, after braving the flood we emerge and i capture it, and it was a stable battler trying to perfect its Rock Slide, and during an emotionally draining fight at the Driftveil Gym against the bigger stronger Excadrill, after being beaten senseless i was about to throw in the towel He evolves and masters Rock Slide.
      Powerful, Prideful and Tenacious

      Pancham: after leaving Lumiose City, me Chespin and Bunnelby decided to eat outside Route 10, a rowdy Pancham steals our stuff and absconds with it, later that evening we discover that he himself are picked on by a group of Scraggy, so after KOing the leader we decided that it would be better off with me, soon after we made our way outside the Reflection Cave, a sly and extremely snobbish Female Stunky tries stealing my bag (i should really keep a anchor on it) after my team chases it down a stray pokeball rolls out and it slips on it triggering a capture, at first we tried to make the best of it but its selfish uncaring and overall a bitch, that night it pops out and wanders out and Pancham follows it, much to its shock its stealing eggs from nests and Pancham stops it only to wake up an outraged Nidoking, which savagly chases them down, during the chaos it almost gets to the camp where Pancham tries to calm it down only to be smacked away painfully hurt angry and worried Pancham sees Stunky obvious and uncaring and at that moment Pancham snapped with a deep bellowing scream it evolves! just before Nidoking ravages us Pangoro lunges in and fights it and after a violent battle Pangoro sends it flying with its newly learnt Circle Throw. the following morning wondering about the whereabouts of Stunky Pangoro quickly snatches the pokeball from my hand and crumples it in its fist
      Righteous, Willful, lawful

      Reply

          • still thinking
            maybe Crabrawler: me Litten and Rockruff hear thumping sounds and see a Crabrawler punching a coconut tree, thinking that would be a tenacious pokemon on the team i send Rockruff to fight it, with a semi-jealous Litten watching from the sidelines, Rockruff things its a big game and just jumps around chasing after it, but Crabrawler is beyond angry trying to punch the bajesus out of Rockruff and tries using Bubble only for Rockruff to….pop them, but Rockruff’s luck ran out when after trying to use Rock Throw Crabrawler effortlessly punches each stone to rubble and KO’s Rockruff with Rock Smash, so Litten joins the fray and actually fights back only to get overwhelmed by Bubble and Rock Smash, Litten starts doing crazy jumps and flips and learns Acrobatics and gains the upper-hand weakening it just enough to capture it
            Hair Temper, Hard Working, Pugnacious

          • we climb Lanakila
            takes refuge in cave
            cave in with us on the inside, Crabrawler on the outside, it is freezing to death but still tries to punch the cave in away evolves after reigniting its determination and with one swift punch it blows the mouth of the cave wide open

  10. Ugh…..I want to restart my HG file, but I’m afraid I’ll do what I always do and end up stopping part way…….I always WANT to play through Pokemon games again, but I can never get myself to finish them……..*sigh*…..Also it’s not that I don’t want to delete the file on it. I just don’t want to feel like I’m wasting my time lol

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  11. So……..I just happened to go back to the GamXplain video where they talk about that interview with the NOA rep……Nintendo has since reached out to the interviewer to clarify that the rep meant to say 2018 and beyond……….So…….I guess still maybe no Pokemon next year…….(sadness envelops…)

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  12. Ngl I kinda want an Australia region because the whole Dex would be Poison and I need more Poison types in my life

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  13. Speaking of Trainers. Remember when you first played your Pokemon game? How old would your playable character be today? My character would be 23 years old D:. He’s ooold

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  16. If Pokémon were real would we still have fads like Fidget Spinners and Minecraft

    #tiredjordanaskingtherealquestions

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  18. Mega Meganium
    Grass/ Fairy
    Aroma Veil (or Fairy Aura teehee)
    HP: 80
    Atk: 92 (+10)
    Def: 135 (+35)
    SpA: 103 (+20)
    SpD: 135 (+35)
    Spe: 80
    New Moves: Draining Kiss, Misty Terrain, Floral Healing, Flower Shield

    Mega Typhlosion
    Fire/ Ground
    Flash Fire
    HP: 78
    Atk: 110 (+26)
    Def: 101(+23)
    SpA: 150 (+41)
    SpD: 85
    Spe: 110 (+10)
    New Moves: Stomping Tantrum, Earth Power

    Mega Feraligatr
    Water/ Dragon
    Sheer Force
    Hp: 85
    Atk: 145 (+40)
    Def: 120 (+20)
    SpA: 79
    SpD: 113 (+30)
    Spe: 88 (+10)
    New Moves: Outrage, Dragon Rush, Dragon Claw (level up)

    Questions Comments, Concerns? Get your own idea on what it would look like. How What do you think the move sets would look like?

    Reply

    • hate all three
      sick of people thinking Meganium should be a Fairy
      Ground will just add more weaknesses
      yet another Reptilian Dragon cliche

      Reply

          • OK WHY THOUGH, What fairiness is there?
            its a freaking Plant Dinosaur how is it a fairy, its always the cute face, the pink flowers or the antennas how does that honestly justify the fairy

          • Eh feraligatr is a reptile learns DD and Dragon Claw and can easily be a dragon type.

            Typhlosion is the Volcano Pokemon, and volcanoes are associated with ground. It learns lava plume and eruption which come from the center of the earth i.e ground

            Meganium’s abiilt to revive dead plants and to soothe emotions is sorta fairy like.

          • well tons of non dragons learn DD and Dragon Claw, i’m just getting tired of seeing Dragon typed Mega Starters this would be the 3rd one, it could be something different, yes dragons are reptiles but come on its becoming cliche

            yes it is classified as volcano pokemon but you guys are taking it way too literally, i mean Slowbro is the Hermit Crab pokemon and look at it

            and yes meganium’s breath revives dead plants is true, but the soothing emotion thing is solely from the fragrance of its petals, it just honestly strikes me as a fairy

          • I agree that one more dragon mega starter would be overdone. But you can’t deny it doesn’t fit, although i would accept water/dark as well.

            Idk but ground seems like a good fit for Typhlosion. Same for meganium being fairy, there’s nothing concrete yes, but these are just a fan’s wishes in the end. Nothing to get worked up over

          • but that’s what bugs me
            people wanting megas to be certain types and things solely for their benefit instead of what the pokemon itself embodies

            and like you said nothing concrete that’s what i’m saying yet i’m treated like the bad guy (some is rightfully placed i’m not denying that) but i just see megas as literally their truest evolution, not a excuse to give it a new type and ability and make it stronger on a whim

            i’m just very passionate about that

      • I like Ground though. Because Volcanos seem more Greound than Rock.
        And I don’t like Water Fighting for it. Water Dragon is stronger and makes more logic sense

        Reply

        • but its not an actual volcano though….
          am i the only one that sees that its just because of the location of the flame ports

          Reply

          • We already talked about this the other night Earthen. We even talked about why Feraligatr Water Dragon, and Meganium Grass Fairy. If you don’t remember you don’t get an explanation

          • ok you don’t have to be an ass about it
            i sorta remember something about a fairy flower but it was stretching it

          • So now you can shut up about it not being logical because there is logic. Don’t try me. Because you know I gladly call you out. :>

          • I don’t care if you think it’s the worse idea than not including Battle Frontier in ORAS, it’s got logic, and you must be disagreeing with the logic that you beg for from everyone pokemon list.

          • ok don’t understand why you brought up Battle Frontier
            and i said sorta remember maybe if i had what you’re busting your nut over maybe i’ll have a better understanding.
            (waits for a snotty response)

          • i can’t explain that, maybe they just wanted some fiery badger echidna with fiery quills
            but i can explain why it won’t be ground or rock, why bother nobody’s gonna listen

          • At the end of the day, pokemon typings are going to be whatever the developers want. They don’t always follow logic and they don’t follow your logic either

          • who knows many they run it through a committee and weigh it out to see it it makes the cut

            and for the record my logic is sensible and realistic with logic to strengthen its reasoning, i just don’t make things just for the sake of me wanting it

          • I’m just saying, Casc’s and everyone else’s logic is sensible, and yet you have your own ideas as well. We all have different ways we see things.

            And some pokemon need an extra helping hand even if those changes don’t always work. Viability always should be taken into account, because unfortunately GF makes some pokemon better than others

          • Overall it’s pretty underwhelming due to its poor typing, low speed stat, and lack of a good ability. one scald and its doomed

          • well it didn’t and i wish Camerupt got drought
            i’m just overly sick seeing my favorites get the bad deal while everyone’s favorites get everything

          • Weavile has wicked high speed and one of the best physical ice types out there

            Samurott i have no comment

          • Yeah Meta game Weavile is good

            And yeah Samurott got a real bust deal and it has some good stuff like Megahorn, Razor Shell, Revenge (Retaliate, but Fighting type) and Smart Strike. It should’ve had a better Physical attack

          • well it still feels unfair, and upsets me very much
            but in the end i’m the one feeling like this while other revel in what they got

          • Ehh but what about my favorite typing being ice. I could cry about life being unfair like you do, but it’s a game.they have millions of people’s buying. I can’t expect to get whatever I want :/

          • I still haven’t got an easy to obtain Weavile or Mega Raticate (I actually had a really cool Mega Raticate draw once it was a pure dark type and way better than its Alolan)

    • Love these. These makes them way cooler and they fit well.
      Meganium as Fairy: Hibiscus flowers just look fantastical
      Feraligatr as Dragon: dragon dance, claw, it’s a reptile. No better secondary typing
      Typhlosion as Ground: Eruption + volcanic similarities (it’s the volcano pokemon…)

      This would make the Johto starters 10x better

      Reply

      • I know! I just wish I could draw out what I would want them to look like. But if I had drawing skills, I would literally waste all my time just drawing megas for everything

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        • I know, I always feel that way.

          And I really wish Mega’s could alter HP ’cause Meganium could really use some more bulk

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          • Yea, 80 bulk is barely enough for those high defenses. But With Synthesis and Leech Seed, I guess its a good balance.

          • True. Meganium is a pokemon I really want to like, but it’s hard to because it’s really not good. A decent mega like this could change that!

  21. So, I as looking at Mii Central in the Miitopia demo, and I saw a bunch of anime characters mixed in (Goku, Vegeta, Madoka, Chitoge, and even Jotaro).I also saw Akira and Futaba from Persona 5. Akira is the default name for your character, like with Yu in Persona 4.

    Reply

  24. It has been a fantastic day. I live in Miami so playing Pokémon Go isn’t all that hard, but keeping Pokemon in gyms, battling gyms and collecting Pokecoins at the right time was really unreliable (and this was true as of yesterday at my level of 29). However, with the new update, being able to collect coins is much more reliable because they are given to you when my Pokemon is knocked out and increase by 1 at an hourly rate. I also hit level 30, and hatched and evolved a 100% perfect IV Donphan. (One of my favorite Pokémon from Gen 2). Finally it is only one day left until the weekend. Woohooo!

    Reply

  25. So I was thinking about picking up Shovel Knight for Switch but I’m not sure if it’s worth it. Anyone here have experience with it?

    Reply

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