Summary
A Japanese man arrested for modifying and selling Pokemon inPokemon Scarlet and Violetcould 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 likePokemon 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.
On April 9, Yoshihiro Yamakawa was arrested for the modification and sale of alteredPokemongame saves. According to police statements, as reported by the NHK and translated byAutomaton, 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 theUnfair 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 thePokemoncrimeis 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 somePokemonfans. However, this isn’t the first time that Japanese Pokemon hackers have been caught and faced an outcome like this. Back in 2021 whenPokemon Sword and Shieldwas the most recent mainline entry, another man, age 23, wasarrested for selling hacked Pokemonfor 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 actionagainst people hosting copies of its games online, with some even serving jail time as a result. While grinding inPokemonmay be tiresome, it’s not worth the risk to buy or sell modified game files.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you playPokémon ScarletandPokémon Violethosts 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.
