Pokémon GO players encountered a frustrating bug on July 24, 2025, that rendered all wild Pokémon uncatchable. The issue began around 1:50 PM PDT and was quickly acknowledged by Niantic as a widespread technical fault affecting wild encounters.
What Happened?
According to Niantic’s support page, wild Pokémon could not be caught at all for a brief period. This issue did not impact Pokémon obtained through Research Breakthroughs, Raids, or Galar Max Battles—only wild spawns were affected. The problem persisted for about one hour before being fully resolved.
Players attempting to throw Poké Balls received errors or found that catches failed regardless of throw quality, berries used, or Poké Ball type.
Compensation Offered
To make up for the disruption, Niantic is offering players a redeemable code for 50 free Poké Balls. The code is:
POKEBALL50
It can be redeemed via the in-game shop or Niantic’s official rewards website and is valid until August 1, 2025, at 12:00 AM UTC.
Community Response
The community response was mixed, with many players appreciating the quick fix and free items, while others expressed frustration over ongoing stability issues that often coincide with major events or new feature rollouts.
This brief glitch serves as a reminder of the technical challenges involved in maintaining a global live-service game like Pokémon GO, especially as new mechanics and events are layered into the experience.
Players are encouraged to redeem the code before it expires and to report any further issues via the in-game support system.
