"Pokémon" development studio hacked - information on new games, series and Switch successor game leaked

Domagoj Belancic

15.10.2024

Translation: machine translated

Game Freak, the development studio behind the "Pokémon" games, has been hacked. Information on new projects and sensitive employee data was stolen.

Source codes, design documents and discarded stories for past games

Through the hack, the cybercriminals gained access to source codes for the DS games "Pokémon Heartgold / Soulsilver", "Pokémon Black / White" and "Pokémon Black 2 / White 2" as well as the 3DS spin-off "Pokémon X / Y".

The stolen data also includes hundreds of unreleased artworks, pieces of music and prototypes of unused Pokémon. Also included are beta builds of "Pokémon X / Y" and "Pokémon Black / White" with various unused test maps and characters.

Various discarded story documents have also been published. One story featuring "Tornupto" is particularly bizarre and is being hotly debated on social networks. In this story, the fire Pokémon pretends to be human and "seduces" a woman. She then gives birth to a child that is half human and half Pokémon.

The squid Pokémon "Octillery" and the sloth "Muntier" are mentioned in similar Pokémon-human hybrid stories. It is unclear what these story sketches were written for.

Information on new games

Also in development is a new, unannounced multiplayer game codenamed "Synapse". Contrary to initial reports, however, it is not an MMO. In the documents, the game is compared to Nintendo's multiplayer shooter "Splatoon".

The previously announced "Pokémon Legends: Z-A" will be released early next year only for the current Switch and not for the Switch 2. When the first trailer was released, many fans speculated that it could be a Switch 2 title.

The hackers also claim to have a playable PC build of "Pokémon Legends: Z-A". However, they do not plan to release more information about the game.

Information on new film and series projects

According to the leak, not only are new games planned for "Pokémon", but also new series and films. The animated film with the internal name "Project Bauer" is intended to represent a "grown-up" new beginning for the "Pokémon" film universe and deal with serious topics. Only the original 151 Pokémon will appear in the reboot. Development of the project has been stuck since 2021, the current status is unknown.

A sequel to Ryan Reynolds' blockbuster "Detective Pikachu" was also leaked. It is unclear whether the project with the name "The Great Detective Pikachu" has since been cancelled. The hackers claim that they are in possession of important plot details. In addition, another live-action film under the codename "Game Boy" was planned as the conclusion of the trilogy.

In the series area, there is also to be a reboot with twelve episodes with "Project Reload". There are also plans for a live-action series on Netflix under the codename "Project Discovery" - currently for eight episodes, with the prospect of up to five seasons. This would not be the first collaboration between the Pokémon Company and Netflix. The stop-motion project "Pokémon Concièrge" was released just last year.

This is what Game Freak says

Game Freak has confirmed the hack in an official letter. In it, however, they only address the approximately 2600 names and email addresses of current and former employees that were also stolen. The company has not yet commented on the sensitive information relating to the various "Pokémon" projects.

Domagoj Belancic

Senior Editor

Domagoj.Belancic@digitecgalaxus.ch

My love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.

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