Pokemon Go glitch turns Gyms into PokeStops and it’s stealing Pokemon

Connor Knudsen

A wild Pokemon Go glitch is turning Gyms into PokeStops and players’ Pokemon into prisoners, seemingly locked away on a life sentence. Gym defenders beware – it looks like it’s more than just Team Rocket stealing ‘mon nowadays.

Pokemon Go has been a game that, in many ways, has changed the way fans have been able to enjoy and experience the beloved franchise.

The game gets people outside, allows them to catch and collect Pokemon, and essentially become their own local Gym leaders.

But, some very unfortunate glitches have caused some wild results in-game, perhaps none worse than this bug that literally steals your Pokemon away from you.

pokemon go pokestops gym changes
Gyms and PokeStops in Pokemon Go seem to be anything but safe havens, thanks to this glitch.

Pokemon Go glitch turns Gyms into PokeStops

In a recent Reddit post to the Pokemon Go subreddit, scooterdood explains how they had their Slaking in a Gym when, suddenly, it was converted into a PokeStop.

Rather than getting the ‘mon back as one would expect, a glitch in the game appears to have stolen their Slaking, with seemingly no way to get it back.

The player shared a brief, heartfelt ode to their beloved Slaking in the first comment of the thread, writing, “You were a real one Slaking; thanks for being my gym hoe. You were a real one king.”

Live Update: Pokemon lost in this glitch can be saved!

An update has been shared by Slaking’s owner, showing that it appears the beloved Pokemon will be returned home shortly.

The user’s father seems to have saved the day, contacting customer support and getting a response that promises the safe return of Slaking it it’s rightful home.

A beautiful ending that salvages what would have otherwise been a tragic tale for everyone’s favorite gym hoe and king.

Pokemon Go has certainly had its fair share of glitches, some less PG than others, but there have not been any widespread issues that have caused players to lose their monsters before.

And while this Slaking owner was lucky enough to see its baby home, what about the others that may not have reached out to customer support?

Hopefully, this story helps others know that they can reach out for help on the issue. Regardless, perhaps its worth being a bit picky about what Pokemon you place in gyms at the moment.

In the event that this becomes a widespread issue or developers release something regarding it, we will update this page. In the meantime, enjoy the latest seasonal event and hopefully, this issue doesn’t find its way into your game.

About The Author

Connor is a former writer at Dexerto based in Oklahoma City who covered Overwatch, New World and more. A lifetime gamer, he has been covering gaming and esports since 2018, and has competed since 2010. Yet, despite all of that, he still can't aim.