I’m flagging a developing piracy story that could sting one of the year’s most anticipated releases. Per Kotaku, Beast Of Reincarnation — Game Freak’s action RPG — has already leaked online and is allegedly being played by pirates three days before its official release. Take this with a pinch of salt: the claims come from piracy-centric channels and unverified user reports, but if true this is another high-profile crack ahead of launch.
What Was Reported
According to Kotaku, reports of the leak surfaced on the DODI Repacks Discord server and on the r/Piracy and r/PiratedGames subreddits. The title in question, Beast Of Reincarnation, is set to release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and Steam, and the alleged leak appeared roughly three days prior to that official release.
Some repackers and pirates who say they’ve played the leaked build have shared performance impressions. One user playing on an ROG Ally X handheld reportedly wrote: “Intro area runs at around 30-40fps medium settings at 1080p taau performance. Didnt drop below 30fps thus far. No shader compilation at the start but I didn't encounter any stutters so far hmm. And it looks great! Good soundtrack too.”
Conversely, another user’s take was far less flattering: “Game is running like garbage. 70-80fps avg with dlss ultra quality at 4k max settings with a 9800x3d and 5070ti. No frame gen option.” Per Kotaku, those two viewpoints show a mixed early picture of how the leaked copy performs on different hardware — and they come from pirated builds rather than retail or review code.
The Source & Credibility
Per Kotaku, the leak was flagged by multiple piracy-centric sources rather than an official channel. The primary named hubs are the DODI Repacks Discord and the r/Piracy and r/PiratedGames subreddits. Exactly how repackers obtained the files remains unconfirmed; some participants speculated it could be related to preloading on Steam, but that theory is not confirmed.
I’m treating the claims cautiously. The information comes from communities that routinely share cracked builds and repacks, not from developer or publisher statements. Kotaku also notes that both Game Freak and Beast Of Reincarnation’s publisher, Fictions, have yet to officially comment on the alleged leak. So while multiple sources are reporting playtesting of a pirated copy, there’s no confirmation from the companies involved.
What It Could Mean
- If true, the leak would join several other high-profile AAA titles that reportedly reached pirates before their release this year. Kotaku names titles such as Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, Forza Horizon 6, and Subnautica 2 as other games that were cracked and repacked pre-launch in 2026.
- If the leak stemmed from a preloading mechanism, as some have speculated, it would raise fresh questions about distribution and digital storefront safeguards — though that link is currently conjecture rather than confirmed fact.
- Early performance impressions from pirates are mixed. One handheld report claims stable-ish framerates and good visuals, while a PC user described the build as “running like garbage” even on powerful hardware. Because these are pirated copies, take performance reports with a pinch of salt: they may not reflect retail stability, patch status, or final optimisation.
I’m watching for official statements from Game Freak or Fictions, but as of Kotaku’s reporting they haven’t responded.
Why This Matters
This story matters for several reasons. If the leak is genuine, it adds Beast Of Reincarnation to a growing list of major releases that allegedly hit pirate channels before launch — a trend that could influence how developers and publishers protect early builds and manage preloads. It also means the first impressions people are sharing online may be drawn from illegitimate copies that don’t represent the final product.
For players eagerly awaiting Beast Of Reincarnation, the mixed early reports are tantalising but unreliable. For developers and publishers, the incident — if verified — would be another reminder of how leaks can complicate launch windows and messaging. I’ll keep following this closely and will update if Game Freak or Fictions comment or if more concrete evidence about the leak’s origin emerges.
