PC

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Red using a PC

A PC (Japanese: パソコン personal computer) is a technology used in all of the main series Pokémon games. They are found in every Pokémon Center, as well as in any main character's bedroom, in all Secret Bases in the form of a laptop, and sometimes in other buildings as well. Their primary purpose is for storing Pokémon and items.

Networking

PCs are shown to be networked throughout a region, requiring special systems in place to connect between regions, as is shown in the Sevii Islands, where Celio and Bill work together on the Network Machine to allow Sevii PCs to be able to connect to Kanto's computer network. However, the issue is not present in communication between Kanto and Johto; however, this network was set up entirely by Bill, and due to the compatibility, are in fact likely to be a single network. Also, despite not being in Kanto or Johto, the PC in the Sinjoh Ruins can still connect to the Kanto and Johto network.

PC functions

Pokémon Storage System

The main interface of Bill's PC in HeartGold and SoulSilver
Main article: Pokémon Storage System

Every Pokémon Trainer is allowed to access a Pokémon Storage System set up by either Bill in Johto and Kanto, Lanette in Hoenn, Bebe in Sinnoh, Amanita in Unova, or Cassius in Kalos.

Until the player meets the regional PC developer, the Pokémon Storage System option will appear as "Someone's PC", while afterwards, it will appear as the developer's PC ("Bill's PC" and so on). The player can withdraw or deposit Pokémon in a number of Boxes, allowing them to own more Pokémon than just the six permitted in their party. When a Pokémon is caught but the player's party is full, the Pokémon will be sent directly to the last Box that was accessed on the PC; from Generation III onward, if this Box is full, the Pokémon will be placed in the next free Box; in Generations I and II, the Pokémon is simply deleted.

Pokédex checking

In almost all Pokémon games, the player can use a PC to have the Pokémon Professor of that game check the progress of the player's Pokédex. In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, the professor that checks the progress of the Pokédex changes from Professor Rowan to Professor Oak upon obtaining the National Pokédex. However, in HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Pokégear serves this purpose instead.

Item storage system

In Generations I, II, and III, due to not having unlimited Bag space as in Generation IV onward, item storage is done on the player's own personal computer, noted as "<player name>'s PC". The system is much simpler than the Pokémon Storage System as it does not have multiple Boxes for organizing items. Also, unlike the Pokémon Storage System, when an item is found but the Bag is full in the main series games, it will not automatically be sent to this part of the PC, and instead it cannot be picked up; this does occur in Pokémon Colosseum and XD.

Mail that is taken from a Pokémon will also be stored in the PC in the mailbox, preserving the message.

In Generation IV, this function is no longer necessary since the Bag has nearly unlimited space for all items. Instead, the personal PC manages only Mail, Seals, and photosHGSS.

In Generation V, with the omission of Seals and photos from the games, the PC's only function is to store Mail.

In Generation VI, with the removal of Mail, the item storage system is removed.

Hall of Fame

Main article: Hall of Fame

This function only becomes accessible after defeating the Elite Four. It shows up to 25 records of past victories over the Elite Four.

Decorations

In bedrooms and Secret Bases, the PC has a secondary purpose of managing decorations.

Saving

In Pokémon Colosseum, PCs also function as save points. This feature was removed in Pokémon XD, which retains the "save anywhere" feature of every other main series game.

In the anime

050Diglett.png This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Viewing a map on Oak's PC

The PC is not frequently used by Trainers in the anime. Professor Oak tends to keep Ash's extra Pokémon at his laboratory until the Best Wishes series, when Professor Juniper keeps Ash's Unova-native Pokémon at her laboratory.

PCs are sometimes used for communication rather than by calling on a video phone; for example, in Beauty and the Breeder, Brock is shown using an e-mail account on the PC to keep in contact with Suzy, and May mentions to her mother in Hi Ho Silver Wind that she keeps in touch with her friends by e-mail, in addition to phone calls and letters.

In The Ties That Bind, Ash is shown using a PC to look up Gary Oak's profile. PCs were also used by Paul in Casting a Paul on Barry! to get information on Barry's Pokémon and vice-versa. It was also used by Ash in the same episode to look up info on Conway and Conway then used it to study Tobias. In addition, Nurse Joy and many officials for the Pokémon League and Pokémon Contests are often shown using PCs.

The PCs in the anime appear to have operating systems that are visually similar to Mac OS.

Glitches

There are numerous glitches associated with PCs in various generations of the games.

Invisible PC

Main article: List of glitches in Generation I

In the Generation I games, there is an invisible PC in the hotel in Celadon City, which appears very similar to a Pokémon Center. The invisible PC is located where the PC would be in a Pokémon Center.

Hall of Fame glitch

Main article: List of glitches in Generation I

In the Generation I games, seeing certain glitch Pokémon such as Missingno. will corrupt the player's Hall of Fame records.

Cloning glitches

Main article: Cloning glitches

Almost all cloning glitches are related to the PC.