The Pokemon Company, which works independently of Nintendo, announced in an official statement that it will be introducing a series of sanctions aimed at users who illegally modify Nintendo Switch save data in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Players caught using manipulated data will face bans from using Pokemon Sword and Shield’s online functionalities, and may also potentially be banned from using the Pokemon Home app, too. “We have confirmed that some users are playing Pokémon Sword Shield and Pokémon Home using illegally modified data,” the company notes on its Japanese website (thanks, Eurogamer). The company, which has long faced issues with illegitimate Pokemon being traded and imported into its modern games, notes that bans may be permanent or temporary, with severity operating on a sliding scale according to the situation. “In the future, we will continue to take similar measures on a regular basis and may implement further restriction measures without prior notice,” the company concluded. The Pokemon Company notes that anyone caught abusing the service will not be allowed to apply for a refund on their Pokemon Home subscription. It seems like The Pokemon Company wants to tighten its security when it comes to Pokemon Home, more than anything; the app is the designated hub that’ll connect Pokemon games for the foreseeable. It already allows users to transfer monsters from Pokemon Sword, Pokemon Shield, Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee! and the 3DS’ Pokemon Bank. Hackers making a mockery of the service and loading their boxes with ill-gained, uber-powerful Pokemon this soon in the platform’s life is understandably a problem for the company – especially when you consider how much of the loyal Pokemon fanbase is built around the competitive side of battling in the main series. If you’re hungry for more Pokemon in your life right now, you can play a crowd-controlled version of Pokemon Red through a Twitter avatar, and you have New Pokemon Snap to look forward to, also.
