Ubisoft says it is working to fix an apparent hack affecting Rainbow Six Siege, its popular online shooter.
Servers were taken offline on Saturday and Sunday after players received in-game currency reportedly worth millions of pounds. Ubisoft has since restored service but suspended the game’s marketplace. Players may still face queues when logging on.
Company Response
On X, Ubisoft said it will continue “investigations and corrections” over the next two weeks. The company has not officially labeled the incident as a hack but acknowledged the weekend’s issues.
The developer also clarified that irregular messages seen by some players were not sent by its team. No one will be banned for using the credits they received.
The Scale of the Incident
Reports indicate each player was sent 2 billion credits, estimated at $13.3 million (£9.9 million) if purchased legitimately. Screenshots also showed some users receiving defamatory messages.
In response, Ubisoft rolled back the game, effectively undoing purchases made before Saturday.
Impact on Players and Revenue
Rainbow Six Siege has a steady player base and dedicated esports tournaments. While free to play, it earns revenue from cosmetic item purchases in its marketplace.
Journalist James Lucas of The Gamer said the hack is unusual for such a high-profile title. He noted the timing, during the Christmas period, was especially damaging, as new players cannot buy items, leaving potential revenue unspent. Long-term players also report missing purchased items.
Industry Context
Lucas said the incident highlights a vulnerability: hackers accessing back-end systems can disrupt games or marketplaces for weeks. Reports of a wider attack affecting unreleased Ubisoft games appear untrue.
Gaming hacks are rare but have happened. In 2011, PlayStation Network was offline for 24 days after a hack affecting 70 million accounts. In 2021 and 2022, Rockstar and other major companies faced hacks, including leaks of early Grand Theft Auto 6 footage. Ubisoft itself was hacked in 2013, resulting in stolen user account data.
