Pokémon GO players around the world are experiencing severe GPS malfunctions, causing their in-game avatars to bounce unpredictably across their cities. Reports of issues have surged, with many trainers unable to participate in events, battle in gyms, or even spin PokéStops due to network errors and location instability.
Massive GPS Drift and Network Failures
For the past several days, players have been struggling with major location tracking failures, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the game. Many trainers report that their avatars are warping across large distances, sometimes even to different parts of their city, before suddenly snapping back to their actual location.
While some have encountered occasional GPS drift in the past, this issue is significantly more widespread, affecting both casual and hardcore players alike. Some have even claimed that they are being locked out of events entirely due to network errors preventing them from joining raids or completing research tasks.
Impact on Pokémon GO Events
The timing of these issues has been particularly frustrating for players participating in ongoing events. Trainers who planned to take advantage of limited-time bonuses and raid rotations have found themselves unable to properly engage in battles due to their in-game character constantly shifting locations or failing to register their movement altogether.
Additionally, reports indicate that some players are unable to spin PokéStops or gyms, preventing them from collecting items necessary for gameplay. This has left many frustrated, especially those relying on daily PokéStop streaks or trying to complete research tasks that require item collection.
Possible Causes and Niantic’s Response
As of now, Niantic has not made an official statement regarding the cause of the issue. However, speculation within the community suggests that recent server adjustments or changes to the game’s location algorithms could be responsible. Some players suspect that Niantic may have implemented new anti-cheat measures, which could be inadvertently interfering with legitimate GPS tracking.
Despite widespread reports across social media and community forums, Niantic has yet to roll out a fix or address the growing concerns. Players are hopeful that a patch will be deployed soon, especially with major upcoming events on the horizon.
What Can Players Do?
For those affected, some temporary workarounds may help mitigate the problem:
- Restarting the App – Some players have had success temporarily fixing their GPS drift by force-closing and reopening Pokémon GO.
- Checking Location Services – Ensuring that Pokémon GO has full location permissions in the phone’s settings may help improve accuracy.
- Switching Networks – Some trainers report that switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data can stabilize location tracking in certain cases.
Until Niantic provides a permanent solution, trainers will have to deal with these disruptions as best as they can. For now, many are left frustrated, unable to fully enjoy the game due to the persistent technical issues.
