Update

Niantic opens up about Pokemon GO's three-strike discipline policy

Three strikes and you're out

Niantic opens up about Pokemon GO's three-strike discipline policy
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| Pokemon GO

Niantic has posted their three-strike discipline policy on the company blog for all to see. In a new move towards transparency, the Pokemon GO developer walks players through the grounds Niantic has for banning players. The company has had a system in place for banning players in the past, but no one really new for sure how it worked.

The three-strike system is actually pretty self-explanatory, increasing the level of disciplinary response each time until the offender is banned completely after the third incident. Niantic wants to give people the benefit of the doubt, acknowledging that everyone messes up from time to time. However, depending on the behavior, Niantic may issue an immediate account termination without warning.

Pokemon GO

The first strike is a simple warning that you will see in-app. Niantic may also set-up a few in-game hurdles. Folks hit with a first strike may not encounter rare Pokemon in the wild, nor will they receive new EX Raid Passes.

The second strike ups the ante with an account suspension. Suspended players will be notified of their account’s status when they sign into Pokemon GO. The suspension lasts for about 30 days. Failing that, if you make it to strike three, your account will be terminated indefinitely.

Transparency in these matters is always a good thing, and Niantic has made it clear that suspended or banned players are always able to appeal their case in the event that they are wrongfully punished. Over on the Silph Road reddit community, fans seem to find the policy quite reasonable, and are applauding Niantic’s willingness to communicate.

You can read the full blog post on Niantic’s site right here. What do you think of the three-strike ban process?