Considering how fun and addictive Pokémon battles with friends are, it's no surprise tournaments have cropped up all over the world for trainers to show off their 'mon's skills.
However, one blight that has been attached to the competitions is the use of modified Pokémon. Essentially, people can use smartphone applications to hack the DS game in question and then subsequently masquerade as its server. This allows it to distribute bulked up Pokémon in order to give the player the edge.
The Pokémon Company has recently issued a statement on the matter - helpfully translated on NeoGAF - deterring hackers by saying these illicit methods can harm the saved game on the cartridge and should anyone be found using what it calls an "illegal Pokémon" at a tournament they will automatically be disqualified and will not be able to compete in any future events.
What makes things even worse is that you could even corrupt the save file of the trainer you're playing against and Nintendo and the Pokémon Company have both said they cannot restore the file to normal.
Hacking into a game to modify Pokémon goes against what the series is all about, so hopefully people will stop trying to be dirty rotten cheaters and play the game properly. It's much more fun to level your 'mon up gradually anyway.
