Rainbow Six Servers Restored Following Suspected Security Breach

Ubisoft, a leading name in the gaming industry, has announced that it is addressing an apparent security breach affecting the widely played online title Rainbow Six Siege.

The servers for this tactical multiplayer game were temporarily shut down over the weekend after players received in-game currency estimated to be worth millions.

While service has been resumed, the company has decided to suspend the in-game marketplace until further notice, advising gamers to expect potential login delays.

Investigation Underway

In a statement shared on social media, Ubisoft confirmed that it will be undertaking “investigations and corrections” over the forthcoming two weeks.

Rainbow Six Siege, often referred to as R6, has proven to be a significant success for Ubisoft, which is also known for the Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry franchises.

The game boasts a loyal player community and hosts its own esports competitions.

Marketplace Disruption

Currently available for free, the game generates revenue through the sale of cosmetic items in its online store.

While Ubisoft has not officially labeled the weekend’s event as a hack, the company did acknowledge that players encountered issues during this period.

Reports indicate that players were each credited with 2 billion in-game credits, valued at approximately $13.3 million (£9.9 million) if purchased legitimately.

Server Shutdown and Player Impact

Some users also reported receiving offensive messages. In light of these events, Ubisoft opted to take down its R6 servers and initiated a “rollback” process to reverse any transactions made since Saturday.

The company reassured players that any unusual messages were not generated by their team and confirmed that no users would face bans for utilizing the credits they received.

James Lucas, a journalist following the incident, remarked on the rarity of such a large-scale attack on a prominent game.

He noted, “The timing of this outage during the busy Christmas season could not be worse for Ubisoft, especially with new players joining the game during the holidays.”

Lucas added that the marketplace’s suspension means no in-game purchases can be made, leaving potential revenue untapped.

Long-Term Consequences

Veteran players are also feeling the effects, with some still unable to access items they previously bought.

Lucas pointed out the significant vulnerability exposed by this incident, stating, “If hackers can infiltrate your systems, even with backups, your game or marketplace might be offline for extended periods.”

He further clarified that there were no credible reports of a broader attack involving unauthorized access to unreleased game data from Ubisoft.

While gaming-related hacks are not common, notable incidents have occurred in the past.

One major example dates back to 2011 when the PlayStation Network was down for 24 days, compromising around 70 million accounts and leading to substantial regulatory fines.

In recent years, developer Rockstar faced hacking incidents that resulted in leaked footage of the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6, with legal repercussions for individuals involved in the attacks.

Ubisoft itself was targeted in a 2013 breach that led to the theft of user account information.

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