Game Freak, the development company best known for Pokemon, has confirmed that it has suffered a massive data leak.
Hackers have compromised personally identifiable information and sensitive data belonging to thousands of employees.
The company acknowledged the data breach after stolen data about the Pokemon game series began appearing online and spread like wildfire.
The leaked content first appeared on 4Chan and has been labeled under the name ‘TeraLeak’ by fans, referencing the 2020 Nintendo leak known as the ‘GigaLeak.’
The leak allegedly contains insider information including source code for popular existing games as well as the unreleased next generation of Pokemon games and code names for Nintendo's next console release.
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Game Freak has confirmed that following a security incident in August a third party was able to access its internal systems and expose the data of 2606 former and current employees.
The company did not confirm the validity of the claim that the leak includes information related to Pokemon and Nintendo source code.
“Game Freak has discovered that personal information of our employees and others was leaked in connection with unauthorized access to our servers by a third party in August 2024,” a translated version of the studio’s statement read “We sincerely apologize for the great inconvenience and concern this has caused to all those involved.”
GameFreak also confirmed that following the breach they have taken steps to fortify their cybersecurity and ensure a similar attack does not happen again. They will also notify affected employees individually to advise on next steps
What To Do If Your Data Has Been Leaked in the Game Freak Attack?
Having sensitive personal data leaked is distressing. GameFreak has confirmed that they will notify employees that have been affected. If your data has appeared in the leak try not to panic, there are steps you can take to reduce the impact.
Be aware that your information being compromised can make you a target for social engineering and phishing scams. These scams involve impersonating trusted organizations or individuals using information they already have about you as a result of the leak to convince you to hand over money or further details. Be skeptical of anyone asking you for information.
Update all passwords and enable multi-factor authentication on as many accounts as possible. This includes social media accounts as well as banking and email.
Make sure you also keep an eye on your bank and credit card statements for any unusual activity. Report any suspicious transactions immediately and consider freezing your cards and credit.
