Summary
- Selling modified Pokemon in Japan can lead to huge fines and jail time, as seen in the recent arrest of a 36-year old man.
- The risk of selling hacked game files is not worth the potential consequences, including legal action and imprisonment.
- While it may be tempting to buy modified Pokemon for an advantage, it's best to avoid this practice to stay out of trouble.
A Japanese man arrested for modifying and selling Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet could end up spending five years in prison. The arrest is the latest in the crackdown on modifying and altering game files in the nation.
Modified Pokemon can be a big problem in games like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Pokemon with altered colors, stats, and abilities are sometimes offered online for a fee, allowing players to have unfair advantages over those who conventionally breed and raise Pokemon for max EVs, or grind endlessly to find or breed a shiny Pokemon. While generally seen as a nuisance and a potential issue for tournaments in the west, modifying and selling Pokemon in Japan can bring major fines and jail time, which one 36-year old is now facing.
The Pokemon Franchise's Development Cycle Explained
New Pokemon titles are launched quite frequently, and by looking at the release timeline, it is possible to predict when the next game will come.
On April 9, Yoshihiro Yamakawa was arrested for the modification and sale of altered Pokemon game saves. According to police statements, as reported by the NHK and translated by Automaton, the player was offering modified Pokemon for sale online for anywhere from $30 to $90 USD between December 2022 and March 2023. In Japan, this violates the Unfair Competition Prevention Act. Yamakawa has reportedly already confessed to the crime, simply saying that he did it to make a living.
At this point, the investigation is ongoing, with investigators looking into exactly how many Pokemon were sold and for how much. They reportedly believe that the sales could have been worth millions of yen, or thousands of dollars in US currency. While it will be some time before the outcome of the Pokemon crime is known, maximum penalties for this crime include a 5 million yen ($33,000 USD) penalty and imprisonment for five years.
The Risk of Selling Hacked Game Files in Japan and Elsewhere
Considering that hacked game files and modified Pokemon are often seen for sale elsewhere in the world, this may all come as a surprise to some Pokemon fans. However, this isn't the first time that Japanese Pokemon hackers have been caught and faced an outcome like this. Back in 2021 when Pokemon Sword and Shield was the most recent mainline entry, another man, age 23, was arrested for selling hacked Pokemon for that title.
In general, modifying game files and distributing them online is unwise. In addition to cases like this, Nintendo has been quick to pursue legal action against people hosting copies of its games online, with some even serving jail time as a result. While grinding in Pokemon may be tiresome, it's not worth the risk to buy or sell modified game files.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
- Released
- November 18, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you play Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet hosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is "A Treasure Hunt." Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!
Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations in order to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.
These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
- Franchise
- Pokemon
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- Genre(s)
- RPG
