Pokémon Hacker Arrested For Promoting Modified Violet Monsters

A Japanese man in his mid-30s has been arrested for allegedly tampering with Pokémon Violet save knowledge to promote uncommon monsters on-line to patrons.

As reported by Automaton (by way of the Japanese public broadcaster NHK Information), the suspect, 36-year-old inside designer Yoshihiro Yamakawa from Uji Metropolis in Kyoto, was booked by police on April 9. After a “police cyber patrol” operation, the police claimed to have found proof that Yamakawa used a particular software to illegally modify Pokémon Violet save knowledge. With this software he may fulfill buyer requests, doing issues like altering a creature’s colours or making difficult-to-raise monsters simpler to handle. This Pokémon racketeering occurred between December 2022 and March 2023, with Yamakawa reportedly making 13,000 yen ($84 USD) per sale. He even generally supplied offers, promoting six modified Pokémon Violet monsters for 4,000 yen ($30 USD).

Yamakawa, per Automaton’s translation of the police report, confessed to the crime, saying he did it to “earn a dwelling.” Police say an investigation is underway, with cops reportedly discovering that the software Yamakawa used might be downloaded free of charge. You shouldn’t go on the lookout for it in the event you’re in Japan, although, as utilizing it violates the nation’s Unfair Competitors Prevention Act of 2019, which bans the act of modifying and promoting protected knowledge on-line or in particular person.

Since Yamakawa is suspected of violating this regulation, he may resist 5 years in jail, penalty charges of over 5 million yen (over $32,600 USD), or each.

Kotaku has reached out to Nintendo for remark.

Pokémon Violet launched, alongside its sister title Scarlet, in November 2022. The video games have been criticized as being unusually janky by critics and followers alike, turning into a few of the lowest-rated Pokémon video games in current reminiscence. Developer Sport Freak is at present engaged on a brand new Pokémon title, Legends: Z-A, that takes trainers to the Kalos area, the identical setting featured in 2013’s Pokémon X and Y. Right here’s hoping that this Nintendo Swap unique will likely be in higher form when it drops in 2025.