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Two leakers have been told to pay The Pokemon Company a sizable $150,000 each in damages after taking and uploading photographs of an unreleased Pokemon Sword and Shield strategy guide.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

June 23, 2021

1 Min Read

Two leakers have been told to pay The Pokemon Company a sizable $150,000 each in damages along with attorneys' fees after taking and uploading photographs of an unreleased Pokemon Sword and Shield strategy guide to the internet back in 2019. 

As reported by Polygon, The Pokemon Company initially filed the lawsuit because the leaks revealed some unannounced features and information including the Gigantamax forms of certain Pokemon.

The company was unsure who was responsible for the leaks when it filed the suit, but after an investigation has named the culprits as Bryan Garcia Cruz and David Andino Maisonave, the latter of whom worked at the company hired to print copies of the strategy guide, LSC Communications. 

"Defendant (David Andino Maisonave) took pictures of The Pokemon Company's unreleased strategy guide on or about November 1, 2019. Defendant shared the illicit pictures of the strategy guide with a friend who also knew defendant Bryan Garcia Cruz," reads a court filing

"Defendant's friend shared the pictures of the Strategy Guide in a group chat that included Mr. Cruz. Mr. Cruz then posted the pictures taken by Defendant on the Internet."

In its original lawsuit, The Pokemon Company said the leaks -- which spread around the internet despite being met with takedown requests -- had resulted in actual damages, lost profits, and reputational damage.

About the Author(s)

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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