The 2023 Pokémon World Championship has kicked off in Yokohama, Japan, and there’s big news. Some players are out for using hacked Pokémon.
Early Upset
Fans were watching Brady Smith closely. Just a week ago, champ Wolfe Glick called him out. Smith had a great start, winning his first two rounds. But then, he got disqualified.
Smith says half his Pokémon team was “genned,” which means they were faked. He got these Pokémon from a “reputable trader.”
Not Alone
But Smith wasn’t the only player who got disqualified. It seems like the folks running the tournament are really cracking down on rules.
Players get penalized for using hacked Pokémon. This rule makes sense. But, there’s more to the story.
The Catch
Some Pokémon are tough to get. You need other games like Legends: Arceus or Sword and Shield to catch them. If you don’t have those games, like Smith, you might trade for these Pokémon.
Trading can be risky. You might end up with a hacked Pokémon without knowing it. To be sure your team is legit, you’d have to catch and train them yourself. This gets tricky with Legendary Pokémon. You can usually catch them only once, and you can’t breed them.
Players rely a lot on trading because of this. They’ve been hoping for quicker ways to get Pokémon. This would let them spend more time building their team and practicing.
Pokémon players at the World Championship are really into trading. They hope it makes team building and practice easier. They want to focus on sharpening their skills and making the best team possible.