Update (11/10/2021 2:15 PM CST): In addition to the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond ROM, hackers have now accessed Pokémon Shining Pearl on Nintendo Switch. Reddit user SwitchPirates has explained the short process and photographic proof of Shining Pearl running on a Switch. The original story continues below.

Over a week ahead of release, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl ROMs have been leaked online, meaning the games can be run and played on emulators. The Pokémon franchise has been plagued by leaks for years, with early copies of the games circulating online and dataminers revealing all of their secrets before they have even launched.

The most recent Pokémon games to be leaked early were Pokémon Sword and Shield, as the Galar Pokédex, as well as the identities of which Pokémon were planned to be added in post-launch updates, were shared before release. One benefit newer Pokémon games enjoy is the addition Legendary or Mythical Pokémon via online updates, meaning these creatures don't need to be included in the game's code at launch. In the past, curious parties were able to see every Pokémon in a given game through hacking, but that is (generally) no longer the case.

Related: Pokémon Legends: Arceus Will Have 17 New Hisuian Forms, Per Leak

Well ahead of the remakes' November 19 release date, copies of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have already made their way into the hands of players. Pokémon BDSP gameplay has leaked online previously, but almost all of these videos are ultimately taken down by Nintendo. Now, it's possible to play these games through illegal means, as a Pokémon Brilliant Diamond ROM has been uploaded online and is playable via an emulator. Screen Rant will not share links to sites hosting the ROM.

The Sinnoh Starters inside their Pokébal in Pokémon BDSP

The fact that the new Pokémon games are available online early and are playable on PC is reminiscent of the days of the Nintendo DS. The Nintendo DS is Nintendo's best-selling console of all time, but that success was offset by rampant piracy of the system's games. There was a booming economy for flash carts during the DS era, which were cartridges that could house MicroSD cards. It was possible to load custom firmware and ROMs on these devices with little issue. Nintendo tried to combat this by adding anti-piracy to later games for the console, but these measures were quickly undone by hackers.

It's doubtful the release of the ROM will affect the sales of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl much, if at all. Not everyone has a PC capable of running the game, nor do they have the time or patience to track down everything needed to play it. The absence of any online content in the emulated version is another huge mark against the ROM. There are many people who love playing the Pokémon games locally with their friends, which is something that cannot almost never done when playing them through illegal means.

Next: Pokémon: Legends Arceus' Hisuian Variants Compared To Galarian Forms

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will be available for Nintendo Switch on November 19, 2021.