Pokémon HOME is set to get anti-cheating measures to prevent hacked Pokémon from being transferred through the app, The Pokémon Company announced today in the app itself. Pokémon HOME is the mobile and Switch application used to store and transfer Pokémon across different games.
“It has come to our attention that some users have deposited Pokémon with altered attributes to Pokémon HOME, causing the app to function in ways that were not intended,” the update reads. “In response, we will be addressing the presence of these altered Pokémon in Pokémon HOME.”
There weren’t any details on how the anti-cheat will work, though. The update also says that these Pokémon can’t be obtained through HOME’s trading systems or by playing the Pokémon games normally.
The message stops short of explaining how these “altered” Pokémon are generated outside of the game. They normally have altered stats and moves they couldn’t get naturally.
Hacking in Pokémon has always been around. Players mostly just make the game easier by hatching eggs instantly, for example. But hacks can be even more unfair when altered Pokémon enter the competitive scene.
In February, a hacked Pokémon was causing a lot of trouble for Pokémon Sword and Shield players. A hacker created a Pokémon that caused the game to crash and go offline and put it out on the Surprise Trade.
At time of writing, the app doesn’t recognize hacked Pokémon and nothing happens to players who transfer them using Pokémon HOME.
