The latest MIUI update has apparently resulted in Pokémon GO banning those players. Software updates are usually a good thing. They can bring new features and important security and bug fixes to your device.
However, they sometimes can mess things up as well, and that’s exactly what has happened to the users of some Xiaomi smartphones.
The Redmi 5, Note 5, Redmi 6, Redmi Note 7, Mi 8 and Mi 9 are among the affected devices. Niantic, the Pokémon GO maker, says they are looking into the banning issue.
Pokémon GO could be banning users because of Game Booster
Many Xiaomi smartphone users are complaining that they have been banned from Pokémon GO after updating their devices to the latest version of MIUI.
Usually, Niantic bans players when it finds them cheating, or detects them using a modified version of Pokémon GO or using a rooted device.
However, a couple of threads on the subreddit r/TheSilphRoad (via XDA Developers), as well as several other reports suggest that Niantic is mistakenly banning some Xiaomi smartphone users who haven’t done anything wrong.
The temporary ban duration ranges from 7 to 30 days for most of the users. A few, meanwhile, claim that they have been banned permanently. The exact cause of the issue remains unknown, but many users point to the Game Booster feature in MIUI.
The feature may change runtime variables to enhance the gameplay and Pokémon GO’s anti-cheating measures appear to be mistaking it for a violation of Terms of Service. However, some of the users say they have been banned even with the Game Booster feature turned off.
You can still try your luck, though. Game Booster can be turned off through the Game Speed Booster menu in the Security app of your phone. You can also just remove Pokémon GO from the list of boosted games.
This unusual ban has left users frustrated. A Twitter user @AnetUA2 has even created a Google Sheet and invited all affected users to fill in details of their issue, including the phone model and MIUI version. Over 500 users had filled in their details in the Sheet at the time of writing this article.
The same user has also launched a campaign on change.org appealing Niantic to look into the matter. The petition has been signed by nearly 300 people.
Niantic launches an investigation
Nearly a week after the reports of these bans started surfacing online, Niantic has acknowledged the issue. Niantic’s Twitter support account today announced that they’re investigating the issues.
“We’re investigating reports of players getting flagged by our systems while using Xiaomi’s GameTurbo feature, and will share an update as soon as we are able,” @NianticHelp tweeted.
An official resolution should be on the way soon.