A massive data leak has pulled back the curtain on years of internal strife and leadership battles at Game Freak, the legendary studio behind the Pokémon franchise. The revelations detail heated arguments, the ousting of powerful figures, and raise urgent questions about who is currently steering the future of the world's most lucrative media franchise.
The documents, part of the enormous "Teraleak" data breach, have been disseminated online by notable Pokémon news source, Centro Leaks. The leaked material, which includes internal memos and meeting summaries, paints a picture of a studio grappling with its identity and leadership, leading to the replacement of multiple head game directors.
The shared files, which have been machine-translated from Japanese, offer a compelling, if occasionally ambiguous, look behind the scenes. One thing seems clear: discontent over the studio's creative direction was widespread among the development staff, culminating in significant executive shake-ups.
For a direct look at the source, you can view the leaked documents shared by Centro Leaks here and here.
The Reign of Junichi Masuda and the Seeds of Discontent
According to the Teraleak, much of the internal friction stemmed from the immense authority wielded by Junichi Masuda, a Game Freak founder and veteran composer and director for the series. The documents describe a culture where Masuda held "complete authority" over game development.
This reign, however, was not without controversy. The leaks include accusations from staff of favoritism and a significant shift in development priorities. Allegedly, key decisions regarding in-game features and content began to be made based primarily on their "PR value" rather than on what would create the most enjoyable and cohesive gameplay experience for fans. This shift is cited as a primary source of frustration for many longtime creators at the studio.
A Heated Transition and a Controversial Successor
The pressure eventually led to a studio-wide push for a change in leadership. The Teraleak details a particularly heated argument between Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori, a director who had worked on games like Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. This confrontation appears to have been a watershed moment.
Following the exchange, the documents state that Junichi Masuda was effectively "banned from coordinating the development" of future mainline titles. This transition was reportedly messy, occurring during a critical phase of development for 2013's Pokémon X and Y, which Ohmori directed.
However, Shigeru Ohmori's tenure as the new head of Division 2—Game Freak's core development team—proved to be just as contentious. The studio soon recognized that the problem was structural; the role itself conferred too much power. The leaks confirm that despite his work on major entries like Pokémon Sun and Moon and Scarlet and Violet, Ohmori was quietly removed from his position as the main director of Pokémon games by 2024 to avoid further internal discontent.
What Does This Mean for the Future of Pokémon?
The revelations from the Teraleak provide crucial context for the mixed reception of recent Pokémon games, which have been frequently criticized for performance issues and a perceived lack of polish. The internal leadership chaos and arguments over creative vision offer a plausible explanation for the developmental challenges the studio has faced.
So, who is in charge now? That remains the million-dollar question. Both Masuda and Ohmori still hold influential positions. Masuda now serves as the Chief Creative Fellow at The Pokémon Company, while Ohmori, according to the leaks, is credited with inventing the concept for a 10th-generation title codenamed Pokémon Wind and Waves.
This suggests that even if he is no longer the divisional chief, Ohmori may still be piloting the development of this new, island-themed adventure, potentially slated for a 2026 release.
For now, the official focus is on the recently announced Pokémon Legends: Z-A for the Nintendo Switch and its successor. But as the community digests these leaks, the narrative has irrevocably shifted. As analyzed in a broader report on the Teraleak by GSMGotech, these internal documents don't just reveal past drama; they cast a long shadow over the future of the entire franchise, leaving fans to wonder if the structural issues that plagued the studio for over a decade have truly been resolved.
This is a developing story. We will update this article as more information from the Teraleak is analyzed and verified.
Junichi Masuda WAS BANNED FROM DIRECTING POKÉMON GAMES:
— Centro LEAKS (@CentroLeaks) October 14, 2025
- Referred as "the era of Masuda’s absolute dominance"
- Masuda alone handled development planning, personnel decisions, public relations, and game design.
- Up through Black & White, it was an era where no one could… pic.twitter.com/UQIgcNSqLx
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