**Yes — Google is using more than just the basic IP / DNS / WebRTC checks.**

Your situation matches a pattern that became very common around mid-August 2026:

- Clean IP (no leaks)
- Incognito lets the Gemini page load
- But **any** prompt returns **Error 1060** (“Something went wrong”)
- Sometimes it still falsely reports China / Beijing / Shanghai

### What is actually happening

Google’s **Web edge** for Gemini now does stricter classification than public IP databases (MaxMind, IPinfo, etc.). Even when every leak test is clean, they look at:

1. **IP reputation** of the exit node  
   Many VPN/datacenter IPs that were previously fine are now flagged, especially ones heavily used by users from restricted regions (China, Russia, etc.). Google’s internal reputation database is separate from public geo databases.

2. **Account history / country association**  
   If the Google account has ever been used from China, has a China-linked payment method, or was created with Chinese signals, the backend can still restrict the Web version even when the current IP looks clean.

3. **Browser + session signals** (Chrome-specific)  
   Timezone, language, Accept-Language headers, TLS fingerprint, previous cookies (even if cleared in Incognito), and consistency between the IP and other signals. Chrome is more tightly integrated with Google’s backend than other browsers, so it can be more sensitive.

4. **Edge vs Mobile difference**  
   Many people report that the **mobile Gemini app** still works on the exact same VPN IP while the **Web version** fails with 1060. This confirms the Web frontend has stricter rules.

### Practical next steps that still have a chance

Try these in order:

1. **Switch to a different, cleaner exit**  
   Prefer less popular / residential-looking nodes in Japan, Singapore, or Korea. Many US and European datacenter IPs are currently “burned” for Gemini Web.

2. **Force a completely fresh session**
   - Fully sign out of the Google account
   - Use a brand-new Chrome profile (or another browser like Firefox/Brave in private mode)
   - Connect VPN first, then open Gemini

3. **Account-side reset**
   - Go to [myactivity.google.com](https://myactivity.google.com) → turn **Gemini Apps Activity** off → wait 1 minute → turn it back on
   - Check [policies.google.com/country-association-form](https://policies.google.com/country-association-form)

4. **Try the Gems “backdoor”**  
   Open `https://gemini.google.com/gems/create` and try typing something in the preview chat. Some people can unlock the session this way.

5. **Compare Web vs App**  
   If you have an Android/iOS device, try the official Gemini app on the same VPN. If the app works but Web does not, it confirms the problem is Web-edge classification.

### Bottom line

You already did the correct technical checks (no leaks). The remaining problem is on Google’s side: their current Web anti-abuse / geo system is aggressive toward VPN exits and accounts that have any historical China signals. This is not a simple “your IP is leaking” issue anymore.

Would you like me to give you a prioritized test sequence (exact order of nodes + browser + account steps) based on what is currently working best for people in the same situation?