Pokémon Cheaters Face Bans Ahead of Scarlet & Violet Release

The Pokémon Company is cracking down on cheaters ahead of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s release. Cheaters can be a problem in many games, especially those with online capabilities, and so many companies work hard to limit their impact.The Pokémon news site Serebii has reported that a “new ban wave” is being issued by the Pokémon Company in order to limit the impact of hacked Pokémon and other cheats. The new measures are being delivered through both the mainline Switch games and Pokémon Home, the subscription-based service that allows players to store, transfer and trade Pokémon between games. Players who have hacked their games will hence find themselves unable to access online features such as battling and trading. Depending on the circumstances, these bans may be either temporary or permanent. In the past, hacked Pokémon crashed Sword and Shield with the game’s trading mechanic.Related: Scarlet & Violet’s New Pokémon Is Just DnD’s Mimic

Online Bans Issued Before Scarlet And Violet Release

This crackdown coincides with the fast-approaching release of the next generation of Pokémon, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Set in the Paldea region, the games have built up an impressive amount of hype, with a variety of reveals and trailers hinting at the vast adventures that players can expect. It is clear that the bans are intended to minimize the effect that cheaters could have on the game’s online functions, whether by disrupting trades as was seen with Sword and Shield or by having an unfair advantage in online battles. But at the same time, it must be said that some measure of cheating is unpreventable, at least in single-player games. A save editor for the Pokémon Let’s Go games was released online only a month after the games were, for example, and similar software is sure to be created for Scarlet and Violet.

Of course, not every example of Pokémon hacking is intended to be malicious. There has long since been a thriving community of modders creating their own games and ROMs based on the Pokémon games, providing fans with new adventures in both official and fan-made regions. The production of such games, whilst generally frowned on by Nintendo as a breach of copyright, is still an impressive example of fan culture and creativity in action. Some of the best Pokémon fan games and ROM hacks raise the difficulty considerably, providing a unique challenge for even experienced players.

While this round of digital sanctions won’t stop a player hacking their own game if they so wish, it will still prevent these players from having contact with others. This is an important step in securing the online functions of the newest Pokémon games, as cheaters can pose a threat to both system stability and the enjoyment of other players. This in turn will support the release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet; hacked Pokémon will be unable to threaten the stability of other fans’ new games through online interactions, and any unfair advantages in battle will similarly be prevented. Meanwhile, some Sword and Shield online features have been disabled this month, something also due to the new generation’s debut.