What is GPS Spoofing in Monster Hunter Now? (& How Does It Affect Players)

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Newcomers to Monster Hunter Now and location-based games might wonder, what exactly is GPS spoofing? As you can guess from the name, this doesn’t have anything to do with gameplay mechanics like Special Skills and equipment upgrading. But, this one term often appears all over Niantic games communities and social media. If you have questions regarding the topic, then read all about it and learn why it’s not exactly a good idea below.

GPS Spoofing in Monster Hunter Now, Explained

Image source: Niantic via The Nerd Stash

GPS location spoofing, or spoofing for short, is a method used to mask your actual location. This way your characters in location-based games like Monster Hunter Now can travel all over without you having to actually walk down the road.

The most well-known method to spoof GPS in Monster Hunter Now is through desktop applications. By running third-party PC software, players can manipulate their plugged-in mobile device’s GPS location. There are also mobile apps that can add a joystick overlay on your screen. The virtual joystick can be used to directly control your geolocation and act as if you’re walking down the street.

While they work for Android and iOS, some require a constant connection to a PC and most have extremely limited free trials. GPS spoofer developers also like to put exorbitant subscriptions on their apps and rarely offer lifetime purchases. If they can be used for free for a long period of time, they will be filled with intrusive ads instead. Not to mention that most Monster Hunter Now GPS spoofing tools only work on jailbroken devices. Of course, unless you want to risk a ban.

Some desperate Monster Hunter Now players who want to save Wander Orbs have also developed a legal and ingenious way to spoof GPS. This can be done by simply turning off the Location Accuracy settings, making it hard for your GPS to pinpoint your device’s exact geolocation. Forcing your character to wander around 5 to 15 meters from your actual location at best. Of course, it doesn’t always work and where your Hunter is going will be completely random. Still, it could be useful to grab that Gathering Node or Paolumu that’s just slightly out of reach.

Why You Shouldn’t Use GPS Spoofing Apps and Tools for Monster Hunter Now

Image source: Niantic via The Nerd Stash

Technically speaking, the drawbacks of GPS spoofing in Monster Hunter Now will only be felt by yourself. Unlike Pokemon Go, which features a PvP system, Monster Hunter Now is a cooperative game. In a sense, cheating or GPS spoofing doesn’t hurt other players’ enjoyment. Depending on how much you care, you’ll only be affecting Niantic and Capcom’s revenue stream. Nevertheless, you are still breaking the game’s terms of service, risking the safety and progress of your account. That’s one drawback.

If you’re caught cheating and get banned, this ban will apply to all of Niantic games. So if you’re permanently banned from Monster Hunter Now, you won’t be able to play Pokemon Go or Ingress as well.

Similar to Pokemon Go, Monster Hunter Now also uses a “three-strike discipline policy” pertaining to cheating, hacking, and GPS spoofing. The first time you’re caught cheating, you will get a slap on the wrist. Then the severity of the punishment will escalate until your Niantic account is banned permanently.

Ban Strikes	Duration	Effect
Strike 1: Warning / Soft or Shadow Ban	7 days	Warning message pop-up, Large Monsters won’t show up (unconfirmed)
Strike 2: Suspension / Temporary Ban	30 days	Cannot log in to the game
Strike 3: Permanent Ban	Permanent	Cannot log in to the game

Two, paywall aside, GPS spoofing tools for Monster Hunter Now and similar games open up the possibility of harming yourself and your gaming device! As most mobile game players know, there is no free-to-play. Sure, the app can be free to download, but developers will use ads as a way to generate revenue. These annoying and intrusive ads can end up promoting potentially malicious services, websites, and other unwanted applications.

Giving permissions to apps, such as allowing them to draw over other apps, could also enable discreet activities to run in the background. These undesirable processes might end up collecting and misusing your browsing and personal information. Even apps released on the official Google Play Store are known to be adware or malware. On August 2023, McAfee antivirus company identified 43 popular apps that acted as adware.

As mentioned above, some of these Monster Hunter Now GPS spoofing techniques might also involve a PC app. Just like how mobile apps opens the door to cyber attacks on mobile devices. Any information stored on your PC could be at risk when it’s introduced by unverified and malicious PC apps too! Even an anti-cheat program from a renowned game like Genshin Impact can be used as a backdoor. Let alone questionable ones. Would you risk damaging or even exposing your private information just so you can play a social game at the leisure of your house?