Niantic has officially banned the sale and use of Incubators (including Super Incubators) for players in Brazil. This restriction went into effect in early 2026 and has caused significant frustration among Brazilian Pokémon GO players.
Why Did This Happen?
The ban stems from a long-running legal battle between Niantic and Brazilian consumer protection authorities. The main issues were:
- Lack of clear information about egg hatch rates and probabilities.
- Perceived “deceptive marketing” of limited-time incubators.
- Violations of strict local consumer laws regarding in-app purchases and virtual goods.
After multiple warnings and failed negotiations, Niantic chose to completely disable incubator sales in Brazil rather than face heavy fines or further legal action. This is a region-specific restriction — it only affects accounts in Brazil or players physically located there.
Table of Contents
Pokémon GO : Current Situation in Brazil
| Feature | Status in Brazil |
|---|---|
| Buying Incubators | Completely banned |
| Using Existing Incubators | Still usable until they run out |
| Egg Hatching | Only possible with the default infinite incubator (very slow) |
| Event Rewards | Incubators can no longer be given as rewards |
| Workaround | Using VPNs (against ToS and risky) |
Players who already own incubators can continue using them, but once they break, they cannot be replaced through normal means. This heavily slows down egg hatching progress, making it much harder to obtain rare Pokémon like regional exclusives or event-exclusive shiny Pokémon.
Niantic has stated they are working on a resolution with Brazilian authorities, but no timeline has been given. For now, the ban remains in place.
For more Pokémon GO updates, check our Pokémon GO Event Calendar 2026 and Pokémon GO Regional Restrictions Guide on Technosports.
Learn more about the game on Pokémon Go (Wikipedia).
FAQs
Why are incubators banned in Brazil?
Due to legal disputes over consumer protection laws, transparency of hatch rates, and in-app purchase regulations.
Can Brazilian players still hatch eggs?
Yes, but only with the basic infinite incubator, which hatches eggs much more slowly than paid ones.
