Pokesniper Download Risks: 'Pokémon Go' Account Bans More Common Than You'd Think

Pokémon Go hacks are a lot like a hydra, cut off one head and two more will take its place. The newest, and by far most popular, Pokémon Go hacking program is called “Pokesniper.”

Instead of directly moving your in-game character to farm experience and hatch eggs, it catches specific Pokémon by inputting their longitude and latitude. All of the information is crowdsourced, players find rare Pokémon and then input their locations on the “Pokesniper” webpage. It claims that by using this method to track Pokémon, Niantic won’t ban you.

This is just another in a long line of apps that aid cheaters who don’t want to play Pokémon Go by actually moving. Niantic has been seriously cracking down on players who cheat and this is no exception. Players who get caught using this software will be soft-banned, meaning that for a set period of time you will not be able to catch Pokémon, access Pokestops or fight in gyms. You can only evolve Pokémon or hatch eggs, aka the most boring part of the game. These bans can last from 30 minutes up to 12 hours, depending on how long you were using the illegal software.

If Niantic catches you using unapproved software multiple times or you get caught creating Pokémon, your account will be shut down permanently. Other Pokémon Go cheating services, like Necrobot, have been shut down over the last few days. Know that if you do use “Pokesniper” or any app like it, your game account will most likely be terminated.

Here’s a reddit post filled with messages on a separate forum from players banned for “botting” or using third-party software to catch Pokémon they normally couldn't. I can’t stop you from using third-party apps to play Pokémon Go, but know that the risks do not outweigh the rewards. If you're that desperate for a Snorlax, just try your luck hatching some eggs. It’s better than losing your entire account.