TOP STORY
Game guide leakers fined $150,000 each
The Pokémon Company has successfully claimed damages from a printing house worker and his friend for leaking sensitive details about Pokémon Sword & Shield ahead of launch.
David Maisonave was found guilty in the Western District of Washington Court for violating the Defend Trade Secrets Act and the Washington Uniform Trade Secrets Act for leaking pages from the official Pokémon Sword & Shield strategy guide.
Official secrets: Maisonave worked for LSC Communications, which had been contracted to print the Pokémon Sword & Shield strategy guide. He took the opportunity to photograph pages from the guide, which detailed game features that had not yet been revealed to the public.
Friendship is forever: Maisonave then shared the photos with his friend Bryan Cruz via a Discord group, from which the images spread further. Both Maisonave and Cruz were found liable for $150,000 each.