Nintendo has taken a significant step towards identifying the individual behind last year's massive Pokemon leak, known as the "FreakLeak" or the "TeraLeak." The company is seeking a subpoena from a California court that, if granted, would compel Discord to disclose the personal information of the user named "GameFreakOUT." This user is alleged to have posted a range of copyrighted materials, including artwork, characters, source code, and other Pokemon-related content to a Discord server called "FreakLeak" last October. These materials subsequently spread widely across the internet.
While not officially confirmed, the leaked content is believed to have stemmed from a data breach at Game Freak in August, which was disclosed in October. According to Game Freak, the breach compromised the personal information of 2,606 current, former, and contract employees. Interestingly, the leaked files surfaced online on October 12, and Game Freak's statement, backdated to October 10, was released the following day. The statement focused solely on the employee data breach and did not mention any other confidential company materials.
The materials leaked included information on numerous unannounced projects, cut content, background details, and early builds of various Pokemon games. Notably, the leak revealed details about "Pokemon Champions," an upcoming battle-focused game officially announced in February. It also included accurate information about "Pokemon Legends: Z-A," as well as unverified details about the next generation of Pokemon, source code for various DS Pokemon titles, meeting summaries, and cut lore from "Pokemon Legends: Arceus" and other titles.
Although Nintendo has not yet filed a lawsuit against any hacker or leaker, the subpoena request suggests they are actively pursuing the identity of the person responsible. Given Nintendo's history of aggressive legal actions against piracy and patent infringement, it is likely that they will take further legal action if the subpoena is granted.
