Ever get the feeling that a specific critter you’ve received through trade in Pokemon Sun and Moon is a well-disguised knock-off of the real thing? Chances are, if you’ve ever used the popular 3DS games’ Wonder Trade system or even the Global Trade Station on a regular basis, you’ll have received at least one ‘Mon that raises suspicions due to its impossibly-perfect stat distribution. As it turns out, there’s been quite a few cheaters, hackers and other unsavory types floating around online for a good while now, but The Pokemon Company has had enough.
According to Pokemon fan site Serebii, just under 6,000 people have been handed bans (presumably permanent, considering the offense), blocking them from using online services entirely. Game Sync, Rating Battles and Competitions are all removed from access, essentially turning the offenders’ games into a strictly single-player experience. In case you think you’re one of those affected; if you’re greeted with the error code 090-0212 upon trying to connect then yes, you’re out.
While merely speculation, the developer’s decision to hand out mass bans could well have been purposely timed to coincide with the release of Pokemon Bank support for Pokemon Sun and Moon. The subscription service allows players to transfer their extensive back catalogs of Pokemon from past games over to the most recent releases, assuming they’re legitimate, of course.
The Pokemon series has historically always had a sizeable number of cheaters intruding on honest play. Cheat cartridges, that allow the user to generate their own – usually overpowered – creations, have been around since the very early days, even stretching back to the likes of Gold & Silver. For now, though, the streets should be that much cleaner, so to speak. In the same announcement, The Pokemon Company reiterates its promise to keep pursuing cheaters with “illegal save data,” so it’s probably best to do yourselves a favor and not give in to the temptation.