Nintendo Requests Subpoena of Discord to Track Down User Behind Last Year's Pokemon "TeraLeak"

Nintendo is requesting a subpoena from a California tribunal that, if granted, would unit Discord to springiness it accusation astir the individuality of the idiosyncratic down past year's monolithic Pokemon leak, known arsenic the "FreakLeak" oregon the "TeraLeak".

According to tribunal documents seen and reported connected by Polygon, Nintendo is requesting the courts bid Discord to proide the name, address, telephone number, and email code of a Discord idiosyncratic known arsenic "GameFreakOUT". Last October, GameFreakOUT is alleged to person posted contented including copyright-protected artwork, characters, root code, and different materials related to pokemon to a Discord server called "FreakLeak," aft which they were distributed wide crossed the internet.

Though not confirmed, the materials were apt obtained successful a information breach backmost successful August that Game Freak disclosed the pursuing October. Per Game Freak, the information breach included 2,606 cases of current, former, and declaration worker names being accessed. Oddly, leaked files began appearing online connected October 12, and Game Freak's connection appeared online the pursuing day, but was backdated to October 10 and does not notation confidential institution materials beyond worker information.

The leaked materials included galore unannounced projects, arsenic good arsenic chopped contented and different inheritance accusation and aboriginal builds of different Pokemon games. Notably, the leak unveiled Pokemon Champions, an upcoming battle-focused Pokemon game, anterior to the game's authoritative announcement successful February. It besides contained accusation astir the upcoming Pokemon Legends: Z-A that has since been proven correct, alongside yet-to-be-proven accusation connected the adjacent procreation of Pokemon, root codification for assorted DS pokemon titles, gathering summaries, and chopped lore from Pokemon Legends: Arceus and different games.

Nintendo has not yet filed suit against a hacker oregon leaker successful response, but fixed the subpoena it seems apt Nintendo is trying to find the individuality of the idiosyncratic liable successful hopes of doing so. Nintendo historically has been highly litigious astir everything from piracy to patent infringement, truthful if the subpoena is granted, it is possibly lone a substance of time.

Rebekah Valentine is simply a elder newsman for IGN. You tin find her posting connected BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a communicative tip? Send it to [email protected].