Life

How To Delete Your "Pokemon Go" Account

It’s a question every Pokemon Trainer asks themselves at some point: Do I really need to catch ‘em all? The answer will of course vary from Trainer to Trainer, but if for you, the answer is “nope,” then you’ll likely begin to wonder how to delete your “Pokemon Go” account. The life of a Trainer isn’t for everyone, and there’s no shame in deciding that you would rather do other things with your time than chase after the illusive Pikachu. No judgment. No regrets.

However, deleting your account is something of A Process. Although it is, in fact, possible to free yourself from the clutches of your pocket monster collection, unfortunately there isn’t a simple, in-app way to do it. You have to contact developer Niantic directly and get them to get rid of your account on their end. I’m honestly not sure why it requires the additional steps, but, well… maybe some questions are best left unanswered.

But the good news is that Niantic has a contact page specifically focused on account deletion; furthermore, all you really need to do is follow the directions as they’re laid out on the account deletion request page. In case you need a little guidance, though — or maybe just some moral support — here’s how to delete your “Pokemon Go” account:

1. Go To The Account Deletion Request Page

It’s right here.

2. Input Your Email Address

The one associated with your “Pokemon Go” account, that is. Putting in some other random email address will do absolutely nothing, so... yeah.

3. Explain Yourself

Honestly I find it a little hilarious that the field asking you for “Additional info/reason for your request” is required; shouldn’t simply the desire to delete your account be reason enough? I mean, I could understand the inclusion of this field as an optional requirement — if you’re deleting the game, then of course information about why would be useful to the makers of the game — but it strikes me as a little odd that you can’t ask to have your request deleted without it.

Maybe that’s just me, though.

4. Input Your Trainer Character’s Nickname

I’m also unclear why both the Trainer character name and your email address are needed — you’d think that, since each email address can only have one Trainer attached to it, just the one would suffice — but maybe it’s kind of like a two-step verification thing. Just, y’know, in case someone decides to try to delete someone else’s “Pokemon Go” account without their permission. (Don’t do that. That is mean.)

5. Check All Four Boxes

These boxes ensure that you really understand exactly what happens when you request your account be deleted: That requesting a deletion is irreversible, that your entire “Pokemon Go” profile and all associated game data will be obliterated, that you can’t create a second account with the same email address, and that you can’t create a second account with the same Trainer nickname.

6. Click “Submit”

After that, you just kind of have to wait; according to Niantic, deletion request take “several weeks to review and process.” But you can also just go ahead and delete the app off your phone if you don’t want to torture yourself any longer.

Now go revel in your Pokemon-free world.

Images: WB; Giphy (6)