Nintendo Targets Discord in Hunt for Pokémon ‘TeraLeak’ Leaker

Nintendo has filed a subpoena request in a California court in an attempt to uncover the identity of a user allegedly behind one of the biggest data breaches in the history of the Pokémon franchise. Dubbed the ‘TeraLeak’, the October 2024 breach exposed more than a terabyte of internal files from Pokémon developer Game Freak. The leaked materials ranged from source code of classic Nintendo DS titles like HeartGold and SoulSilver to unannounced game content for the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A and even details rumoured to relate to the upcoming Switch 2.

At the heart of the leak is a Discord user known as GameFreakOUT, who reportedly posted the files to a server called ‘FreakLeak’. Nintendo’s subpoena request, filed on April 18 in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks to compel Discord to hand over the user’s real name, address, phone number, and email under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The legal filing, obtained by US outlet Polygon , includes a partially redacted screenshot from the server, showing the leaker sharing a massive file of stolen data.

Game Freak had confirmed a breach back in August 2024, stating personal data of over 2,600 employees – both current and former – had been compromised. But it wasn’t until October, when the leaked game content began surfacing online, that the full scope of the breach became clear. The materials included concept art, scrapped features, cut lore from Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and even notes hinting at future titles.

The leak not only impacted Game Freak and The Pokémon Company but also Nintendo, which holds a one-third stake in the Pokémon franchise. Despite issuing takedown requests, the leaked content remains widely distributed across social media and file-sharing platforms. Nintendo has not yet launched a full-blown lawsuit but is known for its aggressive legal posture toward leakers, modders, and pirates.

In a similar high-profile case, hacker Gary Bowser was prosecuted and ordered to pay Nintendo $10 million (A$15.6m) after creating tools to hack Switch consoles. Given the scale of the TeraLeak and the sensitive IP involved, industry insiders believe a lawsuit is likely once the leaker is identified.

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