Nintendo Is Trying To Subpoena Discord Over Massive Pokémon Leak
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the gaming community, Nintendo is seeking to subpoena Discord over a massive leak of Pokémon information. The leak, dubbed "Teraleak" by fans, occurred in October 2024 and included sensitive data from Game Freak and The Pokémon Company's upcoming projects, such as Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
The leak also revealed personal information about Game Freak employees, sparking outrage among fans who feel that Nintendo is being overly aggressive in its pursuit of the leaker. According to a copy of Nintendo's court filing obtained by Polygon, the company is requesting the identity and pertinent personal information of the Discord user responsible for the leak.
The Scope of the Leak
The Teraleak was a massive dump of sensitive data, including 1 terabyte of information taken from Game Freak's internal servers. The leak also included concept art and scrapped designs from past Pokémon games, as well as personal information about Game Freak employees.
Nintendo's Request to Discord
Nintendo has submitted a request to a California court for the identity and personal information of the Pokémon leaker. If approved, the subpoena would require Discord to provide Nintendo with this information.
The Context Behind the Leak
The leak is believed to have originated from a Discord server called FreakLeak, where the user "GameFreakOUT" posted the stolen data. The message accompanying the post read: "Enjoy." Despite Nintendo's efforts to remove the data through DMCA takedown notices, it remains publicly available online.
Nintendo's Track Record on Leaks
While Nintendo has not indicated an intention to sue the Pokémon leaker, the company has a history of taking aggressive action against individuals whose actions it perceives as a business threat. For example, Gary Bowser was arrested on federal charges of fraud for his role in creating and selling tools to hack video game consoles, including the Nintendo Switch. As part of his settlement, Bowser owes Nintendo $10 million in compensation and has 25 percent of his monthly income garnished.
A Call to Action
For fans who feel that Nintendo is being too aggressive in its pursuit of the leaker, there is still time to speak out. If you have any information about the Teraleak or the identity of the Discord user responsible for it, contact us directly at news@gamespot.com.
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