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Nintendo leaks are getting out of control

Nintendo I can’t seem to control leaks. The Switch era has seen a plethora of leaks throughout its existence, often resulting in Nintendo’s biggest titles, including the excellent ones, being fully released early The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and magical Super Mario Bros Wonder. Even though there have been monumental leaks in the past, such as the historic Gigaleak in 2020, the company still seems unable to prevent them from occurring and things are only getting worse.




Unfortunately, video game leaks occur regularly in the industry. The resulting carnage caused by a major leak can be quite stressful, with fans often subject to increased scrutiny and making snap judgments about titles that may not even be ready yet. As exciting as it may be to uncover brand new information that was previously inaccessible, The consequences of such leaks have unforeseen and sometimes dangerous consequences for everyone involved.


Mario Party, Mario & Luigi: Brothership and NSO Playtest Leak

The last few weeks have been difficult for Nintendo


If the last few weeks have proven anything, it’s this Nintendo continues to struggle with security and privacy. Several major games from this year have had their entire content leaked online well ahead of their scheduled release, including Super Mario Party Jamboree And Mario & Luigi: Brotherhood. In the case of brotherhoodThis led to information such as developer Acquire’s involvement that was kept secret by Nintendo coming to light.

Perhaps the most devastating breaches in recent weeks occurred in the leaked Nintendo Switch Online Playtest. Despite Nintendo’s attempts to keep the experience secret through non-disclosure agreements, The contents of the event were leaked before the playtest was published. Leaks revealed an MMO experience that allowed testers to collaboratively develop a sprawling planet, suggesting it may be a prototype for a larger project planned for the future.


It’s hard not to feel bad for Nintendo given the Playtest leak. A clear attempt to create a collaborative experience that would aid game development was immediately derailed by the leak. It could deter Nintendo from attempting something like this in the future and would immediately highlight how uncontrollable leaks can potentially impact developers and their approach to games.

These are made worse by Game Freak’s Pokémon leaks

Decades of Pokémon information has been leaked online

The current problems that have plagued Nintendo’s releases pale in comparison Pokémon Co-owner Game Freak. The company suffered a major data breach in August this year, resulting in this Worth decades Pokémon Information becomes publicly available. These leaks included a scrapped dynamic camera for Pokémon X and YInformation on cut Pokémon across multiple generations and details on the origins of the Pokémon universe itself.


The leaks weren’t just limited to previous works, but new information about Game Freak’s upcoming projects was also revealed. This included new information for Pokémon Legends ZAincluding Pokémon set to appear in the title, as well as hints at a brand new MMO game in development codenamed rodeo. It’s hard to deny how exciting these discoveries can be, especially for fans of the Pokémon Series. However, this is overshadowed by the more disturbing information obtained as part of this breach.

The hackers who gained access to Game Freak’s records also made the personal information of the company’s past and present employees publicly available next to the Pokémon Leaks. This was confirmed by Game Freak itself (the linked statement on the company’s website is in Japanese) when it released a statement about the breach. Beyond the fullness of Pokémon Information that has caught the immediate attention of fans, the Game Freak data breach is a demonstration of the downsides that come with video game leaks and the consequences they can have.


Leaks ruin the experience for developers and fans

Video game leaks can have serious consequences

Mario sleeps in front of a Nintendo Switch logo.
Custom image by Ben Brosofsky

After a major video game leak, multiple parties are affected in a variety of ways. Developers in particular are often the worst victims for many reasons. Game Freak’s data breach is a clear example of the personal security concerns involved. The idea that a breach could result in people’s personal information such as names, addresses and other banking information being stolen is beyond frighteningand highlights the true danger that leaks can cause.

Volatile reactions that can be caused by video game leaks could negatively impact developers and their willingness to take risks on future projects.


Leaks can also be extremely discouraging for developers who put tons of time and energy into projects. The level of scrutiny and criticism that leaks often face is incredibly stressful and disturbing for developers who put their heart and soul into every game. For example, The Last of Us Part 2 There was backlash over key story details being leaked despite the game not even being available to play yet. Volatile reactions that can be caused by video game leaks could negatively impact developers and their willingness to take risks on future projects.

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Aside from the impact on developers, fans also have to suffer from video game leaks. Fans can ruin new games if spoilers leak onlinetake away the joy and excitement that comes with experiencing a brand new title. The same goes for leaked revelations; The same excitement and surprise that comes with a big gaming announcement could be wasted if someone gives it away early, taking the fun out of the game’s reveal.

How can Nintendo fix its leak problem?

There are several prevention methods Nintendo can use

Super Mario with the Nintendo logo


As the company continues to struggle with major video game leaks, Nintendo will certainly look for ways to solve the problem. There are several preventive measures that can be taken to reduce as many video game leaks as possible that Nintendo could take. One possibility could be the use of non-disclosure agreements, granted to those lucky enough to get early access to a game, that prevent them from mentioning spoilers for fear of legal repercussions. However, The NSO playtest is proof that this is not always the most effective method.

Video game leaks are still inevitable.

Another option available to Nintendo or Game Freak is to ensure that hackers cannot cause a security breach in the first place. The use of internal servers within companies and the use of secure, encrypted software ensures that hackers have a harder time gaining access to any kind of information. Ensuring that all servers and software are at the highest level of security possible not only prevents games from being leaked too early, but in the case of Game Freak, it also prevents games from being leaked too early ensures that employees can feel safe while working in the company.


Despite all preventive measures Nintendo might take time, video game leaks are still inevitable. While it can be exciting for fans to discover previously unknown information about their favorite franchises, it’s important to remember the damage video game leaks can cause. When people’s personal safety is in question, it’s worth asking whether it’s even worth the effort to find these leaks.

Source: Game Freak

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