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Can You Get Banned for Keeping Hacked Pokémon? The Definitive Guide

The short answer is: it’s complicated, but generally, simply possessing a hacked Pokémon is unlikely to get you banned. Nintendo typically focuses its efforts on those who create, distribute, or use hacked Pokémon competitively online. However, there are nuances and potential risks involved, which we’ll explore in detail. Keeping a hacked Pokémon for offline single-player gameplay is generally safe, but using it in online battles or trading can lead to penalties.

Understanding Hacked Pokémon

Before delving into the ban issue, let’s clarify what constitutes a “hacked Pokémon.” These are Pokémon that have been altered or generated outside the game’s intended mechanics. This could involve modifying their stats, abilities, movesets, or even their very existence. They are often created using tools like PokeHex or other Pokémon generation software.

A crucial distinction exists between “illegal Pokémon” and “illegitimate Pokémon.” An illegal Pokémon is one that possesses characteristics impossible to obtain through legitimate gameplay, such as an ability it shouldn’t have or a move it can’t learn. An illegitimate Pokémon might have been created using external tools but is designed to appear legal, with stats and attributes that could theoretically be obtained through in-game methods. Both fall under the umbrella of “hacked,” but illegal Pokémon are far more likely to be detected.

The Risk Factors

The primary concern isn’t merely owning a hacked Pokémon; it’s what you do with it. Nintendo and The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) are primarily concerned with maintaining fair play and the integrity of the online experience. Therefore, certain actions are far more likely to attract their attention:

Using Hacked Pokémon in Online Battles: This is the most significant risk. If you’re using a Pokémon with impossible stats or moves to gain an unfair advantage in ranked battles or other online competitions, you’re significantly increasing your chances of being penalized.
Trading Hacked Pokémon: While simply receiving a hacked Pokémon through Surprise Trade is unlikely to result in a ban, repeatedly trading or distributing them deliberately is a red flag.
Transferring Obviously Hacked Pokémon to Pokémon HOME: While Pokémon Bank had limited detection capabilities, Pokémon HOME boasts a slightly improved system. Transferring a blatantly illegal Pokémon could result in the Pokémon being flagged as a “Bad Egg,” permanently occupying a space in your Pokémon HOME storage.
Modifying Game Files Directly: Hacking your game to create or modify Pokémon is risky. While altering your save file for offline use is less likely to be detected, it could potentially corrupt your save data.
Willfully Manipulating the Game: Repeatedly attempting to circumvent legitimacy checks to trade or transfer obviously illegal Pokémon is a recipe for trouble.
Distributing Hacked Pokémon: Creating and distributing hacked Pokémon is a serious offense that could result in severe penalties.

The Consequences

The consequences for using or distributing hacked Pokémon can range from minor inconveniences to severe bans. Common penalties include:

Restriction of Online Play: You may be temporarily or permanently barred from participating in online battles and other online activities.
Restricted Use of Trading Features: Trading capabilities in games like Pokémon Scarlet & Violet or in Pokémon HOME may be limited or suspended.
Indefinite Suspension from Pokémon HOME: Your Pokémon HOME account could be suspended, preventing you from transferring or managing your Pokémon collection.
Pokémon Deletion: The game may automatically delete any detected hacked Pokémon.
“Bad Egg” Status: In Pokémon HOME, hacked Pokémon might be converted into a “Bad Egg,” permanently occupying a storage slot but unable to be used.
Account Ban: In the most severe cases, your Nintendo account could be banned, preventing you from accessing all Nintendo services.

How Detection Works

Pokémon games and related services employ various methods to detect hacked Pokémon. These include:

Legitimacy Checks: These are built-in checks that verify whether a Pokémon’s stats, abilities, movesets, and other attributes are possible within the game’s rules.
Data Analysis: Nintendo and TPCi may analyze player data to identify patterns indicative of cheating or hacking.
User Reports: Players can report suspected cheaters, which can trigger investigations.

While it’s possible to create “perfect” hacked Pokémon that are difficult to detect, these require significant technical expertise and meticulous attention to detail. Blatantly illegal Pokémon are far more likely to be flagged.

FAQs: Hacked Pokémon and Bans

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the issue:

Can I get banned for receiving a hacked Pokémon through Wonder Trade/Surprise Trade? Generally, no. Receiving a hacked Pokémon through random trades is unlikely to result in a ban, as you’re not actively seeking it out.
What happens if Pokémon HOME detects a hacked Pokémon? It might become a “Bad Egg,” taking up a storage slot permanently. It’s also possible that Pokémon HOME will simply refuse to transfer the Pokémon.
Is it safe to breed with a hacked Ditto? Yes. The offspring is generated by the game, so even if a parent is hacked, the resulting Pokémon is considered legitimate.
Can I use a hacked Pokémon offline? Yes. Offline single-player gameplay is generally safe, as you’re not affecting other players.
Can you get banned for trading hacked Pokémon on Reddit? Trading obviously manipulated Pokémon designed to bypass legitimacy checks could potentially lead to a ban, especially if you are doing it repeatedly.
Are cloned Pokémon considered hacked? Not necessarily. Cloning exploits within the game’s code create legitimate copies. However, if cloned Pokémon are further modified to become illegal, they fall under the “hacked” category.
What makes a Pokémon illegal? Having impossible stats, abilities, or movesets that cannot be obtained through legitimate gameplay.
Can Pokegen get you banned? Using Pokémon generated with tools like Pokegen can increase your risk of being banned if the Pokémon are not carefully crafted to appear legitimate.
Does Pokémon Go know when you’re spoofing? Yes, Pokémon Go can detect spoofing apps.
Can trading hacked Pokemon corrupt my game? No, receiving a hacked Pokémon through trade will not corrupt your save file.
Does Niantic sell user data? They share Anonymous Data with third parties for industry and market analysis. They may share Personal Data with their third-party publishing partners for their direct marketing purposes only if they have your express permission.
Is it OK to use hacked Pokémon offline? Using a hacked Pokémon offline is generally safe, as long as you’re not using it to cheat or manipulate the game’s online features.
What happens if you transfer hacked Pokemon to Pokemon bank? The pokemon might get deleted.
What happens if you trade a cloned Pokemon? There will be no consequences to either trainer. However, a trade of hacked Pokemon is still considered wrong, as the trainer receiving the illegal pokemon had no way of knowing it was hacked.
Can you get banned in Pokemon sword for using hacked Pokemon? You could get banned in the event that your hacked Pokemon are detected by Nintendo, though generally, simply possessing a hacked Pokémon is unlikely to get you banned.

Final Thoughts

The key takeaway is that Nintendo and TPCi are primarily concerned with maintaining fair play online. If you simply receive a hacked Pokémon through random trades and keep it for offline use, you’re likely safe. However, using hacked Pokémon in online battles, distributing them, or attempting to circumvent legitimacy checks significantly increases your risk of being banned. It’s always best to err on the side of caution and avoid any activity that could be considered cheating or manipulation.

If you’re interested in learning more about the intersection of games and learning, be sure to check out the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org. This organization is dedicated to advancing knowledge about how games can be used for educational purposes. Games are an amazing medium for learning when used correctly!

Can you get banned for keeping hacked Pokemon?