Pokémon Sun and Moon may not be out yet, but a cheating scene is already starting to form around them. Don’t be surprised if, from day one, you might have to look closely to determine whether or not traded monsters are actually legit.


Veteran fans all know about PKHeX, a program that allows players to edit Pokémon saves. Historically, the program has allowed people to inject fake Pokémon into their games, and eventually these digital creatures circulate throughout the community through online features such as Wonder Trade. It is a common sight to see Pokémon up for trade that would normally be impossible to procure through the real games, such as shiny legendaries.

None of that will change for Pokémon Sun and Moon, it seems:


Already, players with early copies of the game are encountering suspicious shiny Pokémon through Wonder Trade:



The telltale signs are all there: shiny starters, rare items. Given how easy it is to use hacking programs, the cheating problem is likely going to persist in the new generation of games. Whether or not Game Freak will take a harsher stance on it this time around remains to be seen, but for now, don’t blindly trust whatever Pokémon you get in a future trade. If it looks too good to be true, it very well might be.



