Pokémon maker Game Freak has suffered a massive data breach that saw employee info as well as tons of details about past games and upcoming sequels stolen from the developer. Fans are calling the leaked data the “Teraleak” as insider accounts pore over everything from unused Pokémon designs to the codename for the Switch 2 and the consequences of the malicious hack ripple across the internet.
The unprecedented data breach was discovered over the weekend as the data was leaked online. Pokémon insider and leak hunter accounts on social media began poring through the contents, reportedly finding, among other things, the codename for the Switch 2, “Ounce,” which is referenced in relation to the Gen 10 Pokémon games, reportedly codenamed “Gaia.” Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the next officially announced game in the series, set to arrive in 2025, though some say the leaks suggest it was originally targeting a Winter 2024 launch before being postponed. The hacked materials also seemingly reference a project called “Synapse,” which appears to be another unannounced spin-off game.
The leak also reportedly contains lots of details about upcoming anime series and live action spin-offs, including plot details for a second Detective Pikachu film and references to a potential live-action movie codenamed “Game Boy.” The leak also reportedly contains source code for DS games Pokémon HeartGold and Soulsilver, as well as Black 2 and White 2. What fans are likely to spend the most time picking apart in the weeks and months ahead, however, are what appear to be tons of design documents, internal discussions, and art for abandoned Pokémon designs that potentially offer a look into the infamously secretive process behind the games’ development.
Game Freak, The Pokémon Company, and Nintendo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Game Freak, which in addition to making the games also owns a stake in the franchise alongside Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, had previously issued a statement on October 10 acknowledging that some employee data had been stolen but did not mention anything else reportedly taken in the hack, which seemingly took place in August. As translated by VGC, the studio said over 2,000 pieces of employee data were subject to “unauthorized access by a third party” and that it was contacting those impacted. “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and concern this may have caused to all concerned,” the statement read.
The Game Freak hack follows a string of high-profile data breaches at major gaming companies in recent years, including Cyberpunk 2077 maker CD Projekt Red, Spider-Man 2 maker Insomniac Games, and Grand Theft Auto VI maker Rockstar Games. But the scale of what appears to have been leaked as part of this attack recalls the shocking “Gigaleak” from 2020 that saw tons of old Nintendo development info released online. The result was the discovery of tons of abandoned concepts and canceled games, as well as out-of-context references like a pixel art sprite of Toad smoking a cigarette.
While Nintendo is far from immune to online leaks, they usually arise from upcoming games that accidentally find their way into the public’s hands ahead of release. Early versions of Pokémon Violet and Scarlet in the summer of 2022 led fans to discover a lot about the Gen 9 games months before they hit store shelves. Meanwhile, after a particularly prolific period for the hit series, Pokémon appears to be skipping 2024 with no new console game this year. A mobile spin-off, Pokémon Trading Card Game, launches on smartphones later this month.
