Niantic has filed suit against a wide array of people who they claim are behind Pokemon GO++, a popular unofficial derivative of the popular Pokemon ARG. Pokemon GO++ allows players to run an altered version of the games code, and by passing the connections through Niantic servers, the players using the hack are able to gain more finite control over their in-game character, as well as apparently manipulating stats of Pokemon to allow trainers to catch the most powerful spawns. The lawsuit also claims the software enables cheating and accesses Niantic’s network, computers and servers.
The creators of this hacked version also created Ingress++, a similar mod for another Niantic title. And with Harry Potter: Wizards Unite due out later this year, Niantic likely wanted to shutter this operation before it impacted their newest game.
The makers of these and other apps, known as Global++, include Ryan “ElliotRobot” Hunt, Alen “iOS n00b” Hundur, and 20 other members of said organization. So far, various websites related to this app are offline, and will remain so indefinitely, including Global++’s main site.
Here’s the full filing, if you want to get more details about Niantic’s claims.
And with modding, cheating and other forms of manipulation being big business for unscrupulous developers, it makes sense that Niantic would go after the creators of these hacks. Niantic are worth around $4 billion in total, thanks in huge part to Pokemon GO. And the company has a right and legal obligation to protect their IP, so this stuff is bound to happen.
Nonetheless, people will keep pumping out these mods as long as other keep paying into them. The cat and mouse game continues.
