Niantic puts an end to Pokemon Go tracking sites

Pokevision, and other sites that allow users to track the position of Pokemon Go creatures from the internet, have been ordered to deactivate their services.

Kotaku reports that Niantic had previously warned gamers that such sites may not be available in the long term. Pokevision has indicated that it was asked to call time on its service and has suggested that while it’s hopeful things may change, it’s possible the site will remain offline for good.

The move comes in conjunction with an update to the game itself that has addressed the broken ‘three steps’ tracking system – by removing it entirely. Coupled with the loss of tracking services, these developments have left quite a few fans pretty miffed.

(The app update also removed the battery saving mode, which for such a power hungry app was essential for some.)

Some have even speculated that the moves could be an effort to encourage the purchase of Pokecoins for buying Lures (used to attract creatures to Pokestops), seeing as there’s now no guidance available for hunters.

Why Niantic would target such services isn’t entirely clear, as certainly they form a key part of the enjoyment for some fans. It could also be the case, however, that the extra demands placed on bandwidth have made the job of keeping the Pokemon Go servers up and running even harder than it already is.

Hey guys. We wish we had some news for you

At this moment, we are respecting Niantic and Nintendo's wishes.

Will keep you guys posted

<3

— Yang (@PokeVisionGo) July 31, 2016