Nintendo Subpoenas Discord to Identify User Behind Pokemon "TeraLeak"

Nintendo is taking legal action to uncover the identity behind the massive Pokemon leak known as the "FreakLeak" or "TeraLeak" from last year. The company is seeking a subpoena from a California court that, if granted, would compel Discord to disclose the personal details of the user "GameFreakOUT". According to court documents reported by Polygon, Nintendo wants Discord to provide the name, address, phone number, and email address of this individual. In October of the previous year, GameFreakOUT allegedly shared copyright-protected Pokemon content, including artwork, characters, source code, and other materials, on a Discord server named "FreakLeak". This content subsequently spread widely across the internet.

Although not officially confirmed, the leaked materials are believed to have originated from a data breach disclosed by Game Freak in October, which occurred in August. 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, which was backdated to October 10, appeared the following day. The statement did not mention any confidential company materials beyond employee data.

The "FreakLeak" revealed a wealth of information, including unannounced projects, cut content, and early builds of various Pokemon games. Among the leaks was information about "Pokemon Champions", a battle-focused game announced in February, and details about "Pokemon Legends: Z-A", which have since been verified. The leak also included unverified information about the next generation of Pokemon, source code for DS Pokemon titles, meeting summaries, and cut lore from "Pokemon Legends: Arceus" and other games.

While Nintendo has not yet filed a lawsuit against any hacker or leaker, the subpoena suggests that the company is actively seeking to identify the person responsible. Given Nintendo's history of aggressively pursuing legal action against piracy and patent infringement, it seems likely that further legal action could follow if the subpoena is granted.