Pokémon developer Game Freak has confirmed that it suffered a data breach in August, exposing sensitive internal materials and personal information of employees. The company stated that hackers accessed one of its servers, compromising the names and email addresses of 2,606 current and former employees.
Game Freak apologized for the breach in a Japanese-language statement and vowed to strengthen its security protocols, adding that it would contact all impacted individuals directly. The developer has not publicly addressed the extent of the Pokémon-related leaks resulting from the hack.
Hackers Publish Pokémon Materials on Social Media
However, leaked documents and images that appear to have come from the attack began circulating on social media over the weekend.
On platforms such as Reddit and X, users shared internal materials tied to the Pokémon franchise. The leaks, dubbed “Teraleak” by some fans, allegedly include early and scrapped character designs, concept art, and source codes for past games such as Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. The files also reportedly contain codenames for future projects, including upcoming titles like Ounce and Gaia, which are believed to be part of the next generation of Pokémon games. Additionally, internal discussions on a Pokémon MMO and details about an unreleased Detective Pikachu sequel and other upcoming Pokémon movies were leaked.
Nintendo, which typically works closely with Game Freak on Pokémon projects, has not commented on the leaks. While Game Freak has acknowledged the breach, it has not provided any details regarding the specific Pokémon-related materials affected in the attack. The leak, reportedly initiated by Centro Leaks, also includes information on the codename for the Switch 2 console and upcoming projects associated with the device.
Game Developers Face Increasing Cyberattacks
This breach is part of a growing trend of cyberattacks targeting game developers. Other companies have also faced significant breaches in recent years. In December 2023, PlayStation Studio Insomniac Games suffered a major leak after 1.6TB of data, including HR documents, internal plans, and game footage, was stolen in a ransomware attack. Similarly, in 2020, a massive leak involving Nintendo, known as the “Gigaleak,” exposed terabytes of data from classic games dating back to the SNES and N64 era, such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64.
In response to the Game Freak breach, the company has said it is taking steps to improve its security systems to prevent further incidents. The exposed employee information, including names and emails, is considered one of the most significant impacts of the breach, and the company has expressed regret over the situation.
Featured Image courtesy of BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images
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