The main Pokémon developer Game Freak has reportedly been hacked, and leaked information about the future of the franchise is spreading like wildfire.
It might not be as dramatic as Team Rocket attacking Silph Co. back in Red and Blue, but it's at least as scandalous as the Nintendo "gigaleaks" of 2020. Pokémon developer Game Freak has reportedly suffered a massive hack, with a ton of data leaked, including codenames for the 10th generation of Pokémon, details about upcoming games, and even news about upcoming film and TV projects. Oof.
Pokémon data dump reveals all
As first reported by Nintendo Everything, the future of Pokémon has been leaked by someone who hacked Game Freak:
- Source code:
- Source code for Pokémon HeartGold / SoulSilver.
- Source code for Pokémon Black 2 / White 2.
- Codenames:
- “Gaia” is the internal codename for Generation 10 of Pokémon.
- “Ounce” is reportedly the codename for the Switch 2, the platform being developed for Generation 10.
- “Ikkaku” is the codename for Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
- “Synapse” is the codename for an unreleased multiplayer battle game, possibly PvP or MMO, described as "Splatoon-like". ILCA, the team behind Pokémon Brilliant Diamond / Shining Pearl, is reportedly involved.
- Pokémon Movie 24, codenamed “Bauer”:
- Originally planned for 2023 as a reboot of the movie universe to appeal to older fans and address issues like cyberbullying and suicide.
- Set in modern Kanto, features new protagonists Light and Akari.
- Directed by Kobun Shizuno (Detective Conan).
- Planned to include a new Pokémon called "Aperon".
- An all-ages Pokémon anime, codenamed “Reload”:
- Co-produced with Twin Engine (Studio Colorido affiliate).
- 12 episodes, planned for streaming platforms and theatrical release in Japan, originally intended for 2023.
- A live-action movie series, codenamed “Game Boy”:
- Focuses on Pokémon's theme of bonds, overcoming trauma, and unexpected situations.
- A Detective Pikachu movie sequel, codenamed The Great Detective Pikachu, was planned for 2023 but its status is unclear.
- Future Pokémon games:
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A seems to have a completed build and is being developed as a normal Switch game.
- Generation 10 games have two versions, codenamed "K" and "N", and are being tested on both the current Switch and the Switch 2.
- Beta designs for Pokémon:
- Beta versions of various Pokémon have emerged, including:
- Lickilicky
- Kricketune
- Skuntank
- Shaymin
- Rotom
- Arceus
- Giratina
- Honchkrow
- Porygon-Z
- Beta versions of various Pokémon have emerged, including:
- Unused music:
- Unused music tracks for Pokémon HeartGold / SoulSilver have been leaked.
Allegedly, the hacker even stole an almost finished build of Z-A, but won't share it to avoid ruining the surprise for fans. Which is odd, given they were prepared to share pretty much everything else about the future of Pokémon.
This story is still developing as the leaked data is parsed through, and so you should expect more details to emerge over the coming days and weeks. So far, neither Game Freak nor Nintendo have made an official statement.
What are your thoughts on the hack? Are you excited about the future of the Pokémon franchise now you've seen what's coming in the pipeline?
