By now, you probably know that Gamespot has leaked Final Fantasy XV release date – just a few hours ahead Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV event which believed to be one of the most important and followed gaming events of the year. Square Enix was meant to reveal their biggest secrets behind the game: release date, new playable demo and more. Now Gamespot might be in danger to pay millions to Square Enix in order to (un)cover damages they have caused to the game and the company after breaking the possible existing non-disclosure agreement (NDA) between two companies.

NDA is legal contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge or sensitive information which is wished to share for certain purposes, but the access to or by third parties is restricted. For example, when news sites or reviewers receive games ahead to release, they have to sign a contract which limits their ability to discuss or share information about the game before the release. If the contract is broken, the review is imposed to pay hundreds of thousands in damages. (usually around 250 000 – 1 000 000 € or more, depends on the title and the company)

It remains to see what kind of consequences Gamespot will be facing after the leak but surely it won’t be doing them any good. The leak has greatly damaged their reputation – Will they be trusted with as sensitive information again?  Probably. Gamespot’s network might be too important in terms of promotion to Square Enix to start any bigger legal battles. Sadly, it won’t change the fact this has damaged the hype around the event Square Enix has been planning for months. The company has invested millions in promotion and flew fans and media all around the world to see the next big thing in the world famous Final Fantasy series.

Final Fantasy XV is releasing for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 later this year.