Game Freak's Beast of Reincarnation Leaks Online Three Days Before Launch

Game Freak's action RPG Beast of Reincarnation was reportedly leaked online by pirates on August 1 — three days before its official release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam, Kotaku reported. The leak, possibly distributed via Steam preload files, gave the game's first players access ahead of launch, with early performance impressions already circulating across forums and social media.

Mixed First Impressions

Initial reports from those who played the leaked build were split: one player praised the game on an ASUS ROG Ally X handheld at 30–40 fps, while another reported underwhelming performance on high-end PC hardware. With Game Freak's first major new IP in years, the early reports have generated substantial interest — and concern — among fans tracking the game's technical quality across platforms.

"It is a frustrating pattern: 2026 titles including Forza Horizon 6, Subnautica 2, and Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight have all reportedly been cracked before release," Kotaku noted.

A Bad Week for Day-One Release Integrity

The leak is the latest in a string of early cracks this year, renewing the industry's debate over DRM and preload distribution. Preload files — which let console players download ahead of launch — have repeatedly been reverse-engineered to unlock content early, and some developers have begun rethinking preload windows. For Game Freak, the calculus is starker than usual: Beast of Reincarnation is its highest-profile new IP since its founding games, and its launch-week numbers will now be measured against the leaked build's availability.