Niantic has officially declared that using “Micro GPS Drift” in Pokémon GO violates the game’s Terms of Service. This clarification comes after some confusion among players about whether this exploit was allowed. The confirmation means anyone using this trick risks penalties, including account flags or bans.
“Micro GPS Drift” involves deliberately toggling your device’s GPS or rapidly switching in and out of the Pokémon GO app to trick the game into thinking you’re slightly outside your actual location. Players have used this to interact with gyms and raids just beyond their normal reach, letting them use standard Daily Raid Passes or Premium Battle Passes instead of Remote Raid Passes, which would normally be required from a distance.
Just got this message on discord today.
byu/Future-Mongoose inTheSilphRoad
How the Exploit Works
Players achieve this by:
- Turning GPS on and off quickly
- Switching rapidly between the game and other apps
This creates a brief “race condition” in the game’s GPS tracking, allowing access to distant gyms. It’s a clever trick, but Niantic’s anti-cheat and trust & safety teams have reviewed it and confirmed it’s against the rules.
Niantic’s Statement
Kestrel, a Niantic Community Manager involved with the Pokémon GO Ambassadors, apologized for previously sharing inaccurate information about this method. They emphasized:
- Anti-cheat systems can detect micro GPS drift.
- Players using it risk being flagged.
- Community leaders should discourage this behavior.
Here’s a direct quote from Kestrel:
“Please make sure you correct this in your community, do not urge it, and warn folks that it can cause them to get flagged.”
Niantic is also working with their QA and engineering teams to find ways to remove this exploit from the game.
If you’ve tried or thought about using micro GPS drift, it’s best to stop. Niantic has made it clear that this method is a breach of their rules and could lead to penalties. Playing fairly helps keep Pokémon GO enjoyable for everyone.
