International Pokémon champion banned for promotion of hacking, stunning players into silence

International VGC champion Gavin Michaels has today confirmed he has been banned from Play! Pokémon events after promoting the use of hacking in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

Hacking and ‘genning’ have been one of the most controversial topics in competitive Pokémon, with multiple players being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships for hacking and some even threatening to go on strike in support of hacking. Needless to say, VGC players have been very vocal about the issue, explaining why it’s been such a common rule to break and suggesting ways to eliminate the temptation to hack.

And now The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) has banned Gavin Michaels, the 2023 Oceania International Champion, for promoting hacking. In a Jan. 2 tweet, Michaels explained he was originally banned indefinitely, but the suspension was lowered to one year after an appeal. The suspension began back on Nov. 27, 2023, and will last until Nov. 28, 2024. Michaels further clarified he was banned just for promoting hacking and not for using hacked Pokémon.

For the most part, fellow VGC players have responded to the temporary ban with optimism, happy to know the suspension is no longer indefinite thanks to the appeal. There isn’t much discussion about defending hacking or threatening a strike as players had talked about following the multiple disqualifications at the 2023 World Championships back in August. It’s almost as if Michaels’ ban has players feeling more hesitant to voice their opinions about an issue that had previously been so heavily debated in their community.

Hacking suddenly feels like a taboo topic to talk about, many have suggested. After all, an indefinite ban could effectively end your career as a pro Pokémon player. Back in June 2023, four top players in South Korea all received indefinite bans from their events after protesting issues within the circuits across Asia.

Even before Michaels’ suspension, many Pokémon players have been careful when addressing the hacking issue. Some have even stayed silent altogether. Rather than defending hacking, some players have offered suggestions to make the game more accessible without resorting to using hacked Pokémon. For example, popular content creator Patterrz believes the VGC scene could benefit from an in-game feature where they could legally and quickly generate battle-ready Pokémon with the right stats. Meanwhile, former World Champion Wolfe Glick explained the hacking issue in depth without promoting or advocating for it.