Pokemon Go cheaters receive lifetime bans

Pokemon Go cheaters will be given a lifetime ban as game developer Niantic cracks down on rogue trainers.

The Guardian reports that some players have been using third-party bots and tools that automatically play the game non-stop, circumventing the location tracking system and tricking the app into thinking the player is moving, which makes it spawn strong and rare Pokemon at a rapid rate.

"This has led to intense frustration for other players, who are incapable of competing, even by spending real money on in-game currency and items," says the paper.

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Alongside the permanent bans, Niantic has also begun to issue legal warnings to bot creators, an extension of the company's earlier efforts to shut down third-party mapping services that show where and when monsters will spawn.

Many bot-makers have begun to remove their apps and files from public domain. However, some apps are trying to get around the ban, says the Daily Telegraph, and players still risk of losing their Pokemon Go accounts for life if they use them.

Gamers can appeal their ban through the Niantic website.

According to TechCrunch, the problem is breaking the game, with players collecting and battling monsters around their neighbourhoods increasingly finding areas being taken over by almost unbeatable Pokemon created by cheaters.