Pokémon launches legal battle against Sword and Shield leakers Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Pokémon launches legal battle against Sword and Shield leakers Seeks to subpoena Discord and 4chan. News by Tom Phillips Deputy Editor Updated on 26 Nov 2019 25 comments The internet was rife with Pokémon Sword and Shield leaks in the days before their release - and now The Pokémon Company wants to track down those responsible. An initial investigation has uncovered several Discord usernames and 4chan posts of interest, Forbes reported. Now, it is seeking legal help to uncover their real-world identities. The biggest leak of them all, of course, was announced officially. The leaks in question stem from an official tips book - Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Official Galar Region Strategy Guide, to be precise - which The Pokémon Company insists was (or should have been) kept on lockdown. But once pictures were snapped of the guide books pages and posted online, they went viral. In its legal document, The Pokémon Company notes how it had performed background checks on employees with access to the strategy guide before launch. It had required contractors to sign non-disclosure agreements, and hidden physical copies of the books "under tarps", with no one allowed to bring cameras or smartphones into the area where they were being stored. And yet, well before launch, pictures were taken. The Pokémon Company has narrowed this to a 15-hour window between 1st and 2nd November when a smartphone was used to snap pictures from a guidebook. These were then shared with others who posted them to Discord. These images contained "never-before-seen Pokémon, including their special forms and attributes" that had until then been kept top secret. Watch on YouTube The Pokémon Company is now seeking to subpoena Discord and 4chan for the users' details. It has already hired "forensic investigators" to scour the web for their details - though the document notes that the mastermind for it all's Discord name was not found elsewhere online, making the search "fruitless". In fact, no one is specifically identified in the legal documentation. There's no word yet on whether The Pokémon Company will be successful in its application to subpoena these companies. We're likely to hear soon, Eevee way. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Sennheiser's legendary HD 599 open-back headphones are just £70 at Amazon in the Prime Early Access Sale Comfortable with neutral sound and a wide sound stage. Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. 1 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store