Nintendo Seeks Subpoena Against Discord to Identify 'TeraLeak' Leaker

Nintendo is actively seeking to uncover the identity behind the massive "FreakLeak" or "TeraLeak" Pokemon leak from last year. The company has requested a subpoena from a California court that, if granted, would compel Discord to disclose the personal details of the user known as "GameFreakOUT". This individual allegedly shared copyright-protected artwork, characters, source code, and other Pokemon-related materials on the Discord server named "FreakLeak" in October of the previous year, leading to widespread distribution across the internet.

Although not officially confirmed, the leaked content is believed to stem from a data breach disclosed by Game Freak in October, which occurred in August. The breach compromised information of 2,606 current, former, and contract employees. Interestingly, the leaked files surfaced online on October 12, and Game Freak's statement, which was backdated to October 10, was released the following day. However, this statement did not mention the leak of confidential company materials beyond employee data.

The "FreakLeak" exposed a variety of unannounced projects, including cut content, background information, and early builds of various Pokemon games. Notably, it revealed details about the upcoming battle-focused game, "Pokemon Champions," before its official announcement in February. Additionally, the leak included accurate information about "Pokemon Legends: Z-A," along with unverified details about the next generation of Pokemon, source code for DS Pokemon titles, meeting summaries, and previously unseen lore from "Pokemon Legends: Arceus" and other games.

While Nintendo has not yet filed a lawsuit against any hacker or leaker directly related to this incident, the pursuit of the subpoena suggests a strong intent to identify and potentially take legal action against the person responsible. Nintendo's history of aggressive litigation regarding issues like piracy and patent infringement indicates that, should the subpoena be granted, legal action may soon follow.