Epic Games Sues Former Contractor Over Fortnite Collaboration Leaks
Epic Games has filed a lawsuit against a former contractor for allegedly leaking confidential information about upcoming Fortnite collaborations. The company filed the complaint on March 5th in North Carolina federal court, naming Hayden Cohen as the defendant. According to the lawsuit, Cohen used the online aliases AdiraFN and AdiraFNInfo to disclose details about multiple high-profile Fortnite partnerships before their official announcements. The legal action appears to confirm the authenticity of several recent leaks that had circulated within the Fortnite community, including collaborations that were later officially confirmed.
Epic Games claims that Cohen, who worked as an assistant producer through a third-party staffing agency, began leaking confidential information just weeks after signing a non-disclosure agreement on September 11, 2025. One cited example is a January 6th post where AdiraFN revealed Fortnite’s collaboration with South Park, including specific items that would be included. The collaboration was officially announced two days later. Epic also alleges Cohen leaked information about a partnership with Solo Leveling. The company argues these leaks damaged its relationships with intellectual property partners and undermined carefully planned announcement strategies designed to maximize public excitement.
Epic Games is pursuing multiple legal claims against Cohen, including misappropriation of trade secrets under federal and North Carolina law, breach of the September 2025 confidentiality agreement, and unfair competition. The company is seeking damages, legal fees, and a court order to prevent further disclosure of confidential information. According to the lawsuit, Epic sent Cohen a cease-and-desist letter demanding he stop sharing confidential information and return all devices used to access company systems during his contractor period. The company alleges he did not fully comply with these demands.
The lawsuit indirectly lends credibility to AdiraFN’s unconfirmed leaks about potential collaborations with Sonic the Hedgehog, Minecraft, and Game of Thrones. Fortnite leaks have been common throughout the game’s history, but most don’t result in legal action. Many popular Fortnite leakers like ShiinaBR and HYPEX have operated for years, accumulating millions of followers. Some fans speculate that a significant portion of Fortnite leaks might be controlled by Epic, otherwise the company would take legal action more frequently. However, an alternative explanation suggests most leaks today come from data mining rather than insiders violating confidentiality agreements. This lawsuit represents a rare case where Epic has pursued legal action against an alleged internal source, highlighting the company’s serious approach to protecting its announcement strategies and partner relationships.
