Updated
Updated · Kotaku · Aug 1
Game Freak's Beast of Reincarnation Leaks 3 Days Early as Pirates Report Mixed PC Performance
Updated
Updated · Kotaku · Aug 1

Game Freak's Beast of Reincarnation Leaks 3 Days Early as Pirates Report Mixed PC Performance

3 articles · Updated · Kotaku · Aug 1

Summary

  • Three days before its August 4 launch, Beast of Reincarnation appeared online and was reportedly already being played by pirates on PC.
  • Piracy-focused channels including DODI Repacks' Discord and the r/Piracy and r/PiratedGames subreddits circulated the leak, though how the build escaped remains unconfirmed; some users pointed to Steam preloading.
  • Early player reports were mixed: one ROG Ally X user said the intro held 30-40 fps at 1080p medium settings, while another complained of 70-80 fps at 4K max with DLSS on a 9800X3D and 5070 Ti.
  • Game Freak and publisher Fictions had not commented, and the leak adds Beast of Reincarnation to a run of 2026 titles including Forza Horizon 6 and Subnautica 2 that surfaced before release.

Insights

Will this massive leak actually boost sales by showcasing the game's unique Ghibli-inspired world early?
Could Steam's preload system be permanently compromised, threatening every major PC game release in 2026?
Does this leaked gameplay prove developers are using upscaling tools to hide severe optimization flaws?