Some of the Global++ members are named, including reported leader Ryan Hunt and YouTube promoter Alen Hundur. There are also 20 anonymous members who haven't been identified so far.

Global++ hadn't directly answered the allegations, but it responded to the lawsuit by taking down its website and Discord servers. It said it was shutting down "indefinitely" in order to honor its "legal obligations."

As with other lawsuits against cheaters, some aspects of Niantic's lawsuit could prove contentious. While Global++ clearly didn't have permission to modify Niantic's apps, some have questioned whether game studios are actually losing revenue due to cheaters. That's particularly true in games like Pokémon Go, which aren't focused on heated real-time competition. There's little doubt that cheaters can sour the experience, though, and Niantic may feel that a lawsuit could deter other would-be cheat users.