Pokémon GO Down? Thousands Hit by Network Error 2 as Outage Disrupts Login
Published: August 15, 2026
Pokémon GO players were hit by a widespread service disruption on Friday, with tens of thousands of users reporting problems launching and accessing the popular mobile game.
According to outage-tracking website Downdetector, reports began climbing significantly during the afternoon in the U.S. More than 20,000 reports had been recorded around 3:27 p.m. PT, before the number rose above 40,000 and eventually passed 53,000 reports around 4:13 p.m. PT.
Pokémon GO players reported Network Error 2
The most common complaint appeared to involve problems connecting to the game’s servers. Some players said they were unable to launch the game or log in, while others encountered a “Network Error 2” message.
Player reports across the Pokémon GO community also described login and connection failures, suggesting that the problem was not limited to a small number of individual devices or internet connections.
Downdetector data cited in newer coverage showed that game-launch problems accounted for the largest share of reports, followed by login and server-connection issues.
Is Pokémon GO still down?
The situation appears to have improved.
Later reports from players indicated that Pokémon GO had started coming back online, with many users able to log in and play again. Current outage-monitoring services are also no longer showing the same widespread disruption, although isolated reports can still occur.
At the time of writing, there does not appear to be evidence of an ongoing outage on the scale reported on August 14.
What should Pokémon GO players do?
If you are still seeing Network Error 2 or having trouble logging in, first check whether the problem is affecting other players. If the wider service is operating normally, Niantic’s troubleshooting guidance recommends checking your internet connection, making sure the game is updated, refreshing game data, and trying the connection again.
For players who experienced the widespread outage, however, repeatedly reinstalling the game or changing device settings was unlikely to solve the underlying server-side problem.
The bottom line
The August 14 Pokémon GO outage affected tens of thousands of players, with Downdetector reports eventually exceeding 53,000. Network Error 2 and login problems were among the most commonly reported issues. The disruption later appeared to subside, with players reporting that the game was back online.
If Pokémon GO is still not working for you, checking the game’s current service status before troubleshooting your phone is the best first step.
Update: Pokémon GO Outage Appears to Be Resolved
Update — August 16, 2026: Pokémon GO appears to be back online after the widespread outage that caused login problems and repeated “Network Error 2” messages on August 14.
The disruption affected thousands of players, with outage reports on Downdetector eventually reaching tens of thousands. Many players reported being unable to launch the game, sign in, or maintain a connection to the servers.
Scopely acknowledged the issue while it was ongoing, saying its team was investigating the problem and working to resolve it. Player reports later indicated that the game had returned to normal for most users, with the Network Error 2 message no longer appearing.
At the time of this update, there is no confirmed public explanation of the exact technical cause of the outage. Players who are still experiencing connection problems should try restarting the app and checking the game’s current server status rather than assuming the problem is specific to their phone or internet connection.
