Teraleak: Pokémon Developer Game Freak Hacked; Decades of Data Leaked

Game Freak’s “Teraleak” appears to expose nearly 1 terabyte of sensitive Pokémon data, including source code, cancelled games, concept art, and unreleased projects. The breach, affecting over 2,600 employees, has caused a major buzz in the gaming industry.

Game Freak, the developer behind the Pokémon franchise, has been hit by a massive data breach, now being referred to as the “Teraleak.” The leak has revealed hundreds of gigabytes of allegedly stolen sensitive internal data, from early Pokémon games to upcoming projects.

The breach was first made public when files began circulating on social media platforms, with forums and communities such as r/PokeLeaks filled with content. The material shared includes never-before-seen concept art, development documents, and internal files dating back over 25 years.

Game Freak has confirmed (PDF) the hack, stating that the names and contact details of 2,606 employees and contractors were exposed. The compromised data reportedly originates from a breach in August 2024, though the leaked content surfaced online in October 2024.

Despite Game Freak’s statement, which focused on personal data, leaked files include Pokémon designs from as far back as Black and White, as well as materials for future releases such as Pokémon Legends: Z-A and the anticipated 10th generation of games, codenamed “Gaia.”

Among the extensive leaks are design documents for the Pokémon anime, unused Pokémon designs, pitches for movie sequels like Detective Pikachu, and a tech demo for the Nintendo Switch 2, codenamed “Ounce.”

A moderator from r/PokeLeaks mentioned that the leak includes both legitimate and fake content, making it challenging to verify all files. However, key files listed by the leaker include development builds of Pokémon Black 2/White 2, source code for Pokémon Bank, and even scrapped projects such as a remake of Quinty, Game Freak’s first game.

The file list shared includes various development resources, such as source patch files for Pokémon Black and White 2, the full SVN for Pokémon Platinum, and even assets from Pokémon Go test builds. Moreover, the leak reveals multiple codenames for various Game Freak projects, including “Synapse,” an unreleased multiplayer Pokémon game developed with ILCA, and “Gaia,” the successor to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Internal emails, technical documents, and QA builds have also been exposed.

At the time of writing, the hackers behind the attack and their motives remain unclear. However, this breach could be one of the largest leaks in gaming history, comparable to the infamous 2020 Nintendo “Gigaleak.”

With a trove of confidential data still being analyzed and more revelations likely to surface, the full impact of the breach is yet to be fully understood. Game Freak is expected to face further consequences as more details emerge.

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