Nintendo is currently seeking a subpoena from a California court to compel Discord to disclose the identity of the individual behind the significant Pokemon leak known as the "FreakLeak" or "TeraLeak." According to court documents reported by Polygon, Nintendo is requesting that Discord provide the name, address, phone number, and email address of the user known as "GameFreakOUT." Last October, this user allegedly shared copyrighted materials, including artwork, characters, source code, and other Pokemon-related content on a Discord server called "FreakLeak." These materials were then widely distributed across the internet.
While not officially confirmed, the leaked materials likely stemmed from a data breach disclosed by Game Freak in October, following the initial breach in August. Game Freak reported that 2,606 cases of current, former, and contract employee names were accessed. Interestingly, the leaked files surfaced online on October 12, with Game Freak's statement appearing the next day, backdated to October 10. This statement did not mention any confidential company materials beyond employee information.The leaked materials revealed numerous unannounced projects, cut content, and other background information, including early builds of various Pokemon games. Notably, the leak disclosed details about "Pokemon Champions," a battle-focused game announced in February, and "Pokemon Legends: Z-A," with some information already proven accurate. Other leaks included source code for DS Pokemon titles, meeting summaries, and cut lore from "Pokemon Legends: Arceus" and other games.
Although Nintendo has not yet filed a lawsuit against the hacker or leaker, the subpoena suggests they are working to identify the responsible individual. Given Nintendo's history of aggressive legal action against piracy and patent infringement, it seems probable that legal action will follow if the subpoena is granted.
