A Japanese man has been arrested for selling modded data from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, making millions of yen by selling rare Pokémon through a website specializing in video game items. He admitted to the charges, claiming he was making a living, but modifying and distributing save files is illegal in Japan. Violators could face up to five years in prison or fines of over 5 million yen. The incident occurred during the peak popularity of the games, which were met with mixed reception due to performance issues. The Pokémon Company is still supporting the games and turning its attention to Pokémon Legends: Z-A, a sequel to Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
A 36-year-old Japanese man has been arrested for using a special tool to modify Pokémon Violet save data and selling rare monsters online, earning around 13,000 yen ($84 USD) per sale. He confessed to the crime, stating that he did it to earn a living. The tool he used violates Japan's Unfair Competition Prevention Act of 2019, and he could face up to five years in prison or penalty fees of over five million yen (over $32,600 USD), or both. Pokémon Violet and Scarlet, released in November 2022, were criticized for being janky, and Game Freak is currently working on a new Pokémon title, Legends: Z-A, set to release in 2025.
A 36-year-old man in Japan has been arrested for selling illegally modified Pokémon save data, using special tools to alter move sets and taking custom orders for rare Pokémon, selling the tampered data for up to $84 each. He admitted to the crimes, citing the need to earn a living, and could face up to five years in prison and/or a fine of over $32,600. This incident is not the first involving criminal activity related to Pokémon, as there have been previous cases of theft and even police officers neglecting their duties to play Pokémon Go.
