Nearly 6000 players have been banned from using "Pokémon Sun and Moon's" Global Link, which is the main online feature of the game. Players who were found to have illegal save data were banned from using the online feature.

The announcement was made on the game's Japanese Global Link page and was confirmed by the Pokémon Company. As of this writing, a total of 5,954 players have been found to have illegal save data, which basically means that they have been using hacks, mods, and other illegal means to gain an advantage in trades and online battles with other players.

However, it is not yet clear what cheats in particular have gotten players in trouble with the Pokémon Company, and whether those who got "illegal" Pokémon through trades have been punished as well. According to a report from Polygon, players who get caught cheating are permanently banned from participating in global missions, competitions and ratings battles.

Players who have been banned will receive an error message with the code 090-0212 whenever they attempt to use the Global Link feature. The Pokémon Company has also stated that they will be keeping a close eye on players who cheat and ban them as a result. This is yet another reminder that the developers will not take kindly to gamers who try to gain an advantage through illegal means.

In 2013, around 1,500 players were banned from taking part in online tournaments after they were caught cheating in "Pokémon X and Y". The Pokémon Company has also considered using "further restrictions" for players who persist in using illegal save data when playing "Sun and Moon". Cheating or using hacks and certain mods in games is nothing new, but thanks to how sophisticated online technology has become, developers will now have a much easier time laying down the hammer on those who refuse to play games the right way. Nearly 6000 players have been banned from using "Pokémon Sun and Moon's" Global Link, which is the main online feature of the game. Players who were found to have illegal save data were banned from using the online feature.