Epic Games has filed a lawsuit against a Fortnite leaker known online as AdiraFNInfo, alleging the individual abused internal access to confidential information and repeatedly leaked details about upcoming collaborations and in-game content.
The lawsuit, filed March 5 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, identifies the defendant as Hayden Cohen, a former contractor who worked with Epic as an associate producer through a staffing agency.
According to the complaint, Cohen signed a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) with Epic but later disclosed sensitive information about unannounced Fortnite collaborations through social media accounts operating under the names “AdiraFNInfo” on X and “AdiraFN” on Discord.
Epic alleges the leaks occurred in early 2026 and included confidential details about upcoming content that had not yet been announced publicly. The company claims Cohen accessed this information through Epic’s internal systems as part of his work responsibilities and used it to post leaks to thousands of followers online.
Epic claims internal access was abused
In the filing, Epic says Fortnite’s collaborations and upcoming content plans are considered trade secrets because they involve carefully timed announcements coordinated with partners in entertainment, gaming, film, television, and other industries. The secrecy surrounding those collaborations, Epic argues, helps maximize player excitement and marketing impact when the content is officially revealed.
The company states it uses several security measures to protect this information, including restricted internal access, multi-factor authentication systems, and nondisclosure agreements for employees and contractors who work with unreleased content.
Epic alleges Cohen signed such an NDA on Sept. 11, 2025, agreeing to keep all confidential information strictly secret and to use it only for his work with the company.
Despite that, the lawsuit highlights several examples of alleged leaks. On Jan. 6, 2026, Cohen allegedly posted information about an upcoming collaboration with the animated television series South Park, including details about cosmetic items that had not yet been publicly revealed. Epic announced the collaboration two days later and released the related cosmetics in-game shortly afterward.
Epic also points to a Jan. 13 post that reportedly disclosed a collaboration with the Solo Leveling franchise. The company did not officially confirm that partnership until Feb. 18, more than a month after the leak appeared online.
According to the complaint, these examples represent only a portion of the information Cohen allegedly disclosed. The developer claims the defendant posted “dozens” of leaks over several weeks, revealing details about more than a dozen unannounced collaborations, including character cosmetics, release timing, and development updates.
Epic Games says leaks damaged partnerships
Epic argues the leaks caused significant harm to the company and its partners. The complaint states that collaboration announcements are often coordinated with other marketing events, such as movie premieres or television releases, and premature leaks can disrupt those plans.
The company also claims that leaks can reduce player excitement around official reveals and undermine the marketing impact Epic and its partners aim to create when launching new content in Fortnite. Epic says the leaks damaged relationships with partners that trusted the company to keep collaboration details confidential. The company also says it incurred additional costs investigating the source of the leaks and pursuing legal action.
After identifying Cohen as the alleged source of the leaks, Epic says it terminated his access to its internal systems and confidential information. The company later sent a cease and desist letter on Feb. 20, 2026, demanding that he stop disclosing confidential information, turn over devices used to access Epic systems, and identify anyone he shared the information with.
Epic claims Cohen has not fully complied with those demands yet.
What are the legal claims by Epic Games against Cohen?
Epic’s lawsuit includes several claims against Cohen, including:
- Trade secret misappropriation under the Defend Trade Secrets Act
- Trade secret misappropriation under North Carolina law
- Breach of contract related to the nondisclosure agreement
- Unfair and deceptive trade practices
Epic is seeking monetary damages, attorneys’ fees, and a permanent injunction preventing Cohen from disclosing or using any of the company’s confidential information in the future.
The company is also asking the court to order Cohen to return or destroy any Epic trade secret information in his possession. They’ve also requested a jury trial, and the case will proceed in federal court in North Carolina.
