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Feb 21, 2025 • Filed to: Virtual Location Solutions • Proven solutions
They’re calling it "the end of an era" and they are right. For seven years, the Pokémon GO community has benefitted from the Silph Road, an in-person network of Pokémon GO enthusiasts who want to trade Pokémon over long distances in a safe, secure, and friendly manner. With the news of Silph Road shutting down, concerned players are scampering for news about the closing and what’s going to happen next, including any alternatives people might suggest. Read below to get the whole picture and answers to all your questions.
On May 12, 2023, Silph Road announced something that sent ripples of shock throughout the Pokémon GO community - they announced that they were ceasing operations.
This was unexpected and has since caused a deluge of comments on the Silph Road subreddit, with people asking why and what next. So, we thought to bring you the latest news and happenings and give you an idea about the whole situation without having to rummage through all the comments and fluff on Reddit.
The first question that people want an answer to is why is the Silph Road closing down? Silph Road is closing because Niantic, the company behind the augmented reality game Pokemon GO, has ceased to sponsor Silph Road.
So, what now? Well, Silph Road has provided a timeline on their subreddit, outlining their plans with regards to how the closure will take place.
The first thing they note is that while Silph Road is closing, the subreddit is staying. That is not coming down anytime soon.
Here’s the timeline for closing Silph Road, reproduced entirely as outlined by Silph Road on their subreddit:
MAY 12, 2023:
- TheSilphRoad.com's Community Map, Nest Atlas, and all our various game resources are retired and will be inaccessible moving forward- TheSilphRoad.com's Travelers Cards remain accessible and functional until August 1st- The Community Ambassador Program will be operated solely by Niantic moving forward- The Silph Arena (Silph.gg) will remain fully operational until the current Season concludes, with an updated Season schedule. (Arena competitors look here for full details - Factions competitors see here!)- The Silph Research Group will continue researching game mechanics on their Discord server and will share findings directly on the subreddit (instead of on TheSilphRoad.com).
MAY 21, 2023:
- Last day for community event check-ins (Silph event check-in system closes at end of day).
AUGUST 1, 2023:
- Silph.gg's final Season concludes, and the Arena Hall of Fame is snapshotted and archived for posterity.- Travelers cards are snapshotted and archived for posterity.- We pull the plug and the last remaining Silph services go dark.
With Silph Road closing, people are naturally wondering about alternatives. While none might be able to claim greatness as Silph Road did, users feeling left in the lurch do have a few alternatives they can use. Be advised, though, that none offer the same level of streamlined experience as Silph Road.
It must be said that none of these alternatives will be Silph Road, so they might or might not make you happy. One of the alternatives to Silph Road is GameInfo. Here, you can find a large list of guides, tools, calculators, all info about all Pokémon, etc.
Pokémon GO Hub is a news site to help fans stay abreast with the latest happenings in the world of Pokémon, as well as guides for the game and updates on tiers and raids. The site has a good and flourishing following.
Poke Radar is, as the name suggests, a radar for Pokémon. It is an app that users can use to keep track of locations where Pokémon were spotted. That way, users know where to look for the Pokémon they want.
GamePress is a forum for fans to reach out to one another and help with anything Pokemon. So, this place is a great starting point for every Pokémon trainer, expert or novice. Apart from member-posted content, GamePress releases its own content to keep fans engaged.
Pokémon Go Live is a comprehensive portal of everything Pokémon – the latest news, Pokémon information, how-to guides, event lists, and leaderboards. There is also a beloved feature that tracks Community Day locations where trainers can meet and make friends!
Now, if you thought AR games such as Pokémon required you to be out and about, and, therefore, not feasible for you, think again! Because we have brought an app you can use to catch Pokémon without stepping out of the comfort of your home!
How this works is that you use an app such as Dr.Fone Virtual Location (iOS) to spoof your location in real time for the purpose of playing Pokémon GO on your iPhone. The app spoofs your GPS location, and can manipulate it in real-time, making you appear like walking with your phone, running with your phone, or even traveling in a car or riding a bike! Here’s how to use the app to catch Pokémon without walking:
Step 1: Download Dr.Fone to your PC or Mac.
Step 2: Click Virtual Location.
Step 3: Connect your phone to the computer with a data cable. When detected, click Get Started.
Virtual Location will show your current location on its map.
Step 4: Click the third icon at the top right to simulate movement between two points. This mode fakes your GPS location between two points of your choosing at a speed of your choosing. After clicking the icon, type the location you want to start from in the box on the left and click Move Here (1).
Step 5: Enter a location in the box to move to, and make sure that the location is believable and walking distance. Do not use a location miles away, or cross-country.
Select the speed (for walking) and click Move Here (2).
Now, Virtual Location will make it look like you are walking from point A to B with your phone, allowing you to spoof your location for Pokémon GO without walking a single step out of your house!
The shuttering of SIlph Road is a blow to the Pokémon GO community that will be felt for a long time. However, there are still resources available for trainers, and perhaps this is the best we can do at the time until a better Silph Road alternative than the ones mentioned above come to the party. Meanwhile, if you are new to the world of Pokémon GO and are wondering how to walk and catch Pokémon without actually walking, start using Dr.Fone - Virtual Location (iOS) now!
staff Editor
