Nintendo has taken a significant step towards identifying the individual behind the massive Pokemon leak known as the "FreakLeak" or the "TeraLeak" from last year. The company is currently seeking a subpoena from a California court. If granted, this subpoena would compel Discord to disclose the identity of the user "GameFreakOUT," who allegedly shared sensitive Pokemon content on a Discord server called "FreakLeak" last October. The leaked content included copyright-protected artwork, characters, source code, and other materials related to Pokemon, which subsequently spread rapidly across the internet.
While not officially confirmed, it is believed that the leaked materials originated 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, followed by Game Freak's statement on October 13, which was curiously backdated to October 10 and did not mention any leaked confidential company materials beyond employee data.
The "FreakLeak" revealed a treasure trove of information, including details on unannounced projects, cut content, and early builds of various Pokemon games. Among the most notable leaks was information about "Pokemon Champions," a battle-focused game announced in February, and "Pokemon Legends: Z-A," with some of the leaked details later confirmed to be accurate. Additionally, the leak included source code for DS Pokemon titles, meeting summaries, and cut lore from "Pokemon Legends: Arceus" and other games, as well as information about the next generation of Pokemon that remains unverified.
Although Nintendo has not yet initiated legal action against any specific hacker or leaker, the pursuit of this subpoena suggests a strong intent to identify and possibly prosecute the individual responsible. Given Nintendo's history of aggressive legal action against piracy and patent infringement, should the subpoena be granted, legal action may soon follow.
