Weird Pokémon Go bug transforms player into raid boss

Pokemon Go
(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

Augmented reality monster-catching game Pokémon Go is known for taking its players to strange new places, but one trainer found themselves in an especially bizarre situation. 

For Reddit user ichigodevil, it was a day on Pokémon Go like any other - that is until they seemed to be transformed into a raid encounter by a glitch. 

For those not in the know, raid encounters are boss battles that become available when a powerful boss Pokémon takes over a Gym. Available for a limited time, this usually involves a tough battle where, should you prove victorious, you'll be rewarded with special items and a chance of capturing that Pokémon. 

However, much to the Reddit user's surprise, a raid countdown clock appeared above their character's head. Prompting them to take to Reddit with a screenshot of the event and a declaration to the world: "who wanna square up?"   

Guess i’m a raid from r/pokemongo

Amused Reddit users from across the world flocked to the post. 

"At least you're rated five stars," chimed in one user, while another said, "It's time to catch a PokéGo player."

Reddit user PokeOneKenobi offered a surprisingly dark take: "If you [have] one of the following symptoms: weird countdowns appearing over your [head], the feeling of impending doom, [or] people flocking around you to party up [,] please report to Niantic [for] assistance immediately."

Pokémon Go released back in 2016, garnering attention from fans across the world. Though the monster-catching game has yet to recapture its its peak of 28.5 million daily unique visitors (via Vox), the game still has roughly 11.2 million players, making it a powerful force in the world of mobile gaming (via MMOstats).

When it comes to Pokémon as a whole, competition has arrived in the form of third-person survival game Palworld, which has catchable monsters with a striking resemblance to Pokémon's own roster.

Want more games with great communities? Check out our lists of the best co-op games and the best MMO games.

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Cat Bussell
Freelance contributor

An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.

A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game. 

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