Summary
Rockstar Games, known for itsGrand Theft AutoandRed Deadgames, among others, was recently hit by a wave of DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) attacks that affected the online services of some titles, according to reports. The attacks occurred afterRockstar Gamesreleased the latest update forGrand Theft Auto Online.
In the patch notes forGTA Online’s September 17 update, Rockstar Games revealed that it had added BattlEye Anti-Cheat to the popular title’s online component nearly 11 years after it initially launched. According to the studio, this integration was part of ongoing efforts to protect the community from cheaters, aproblem that has long plaguedGTA Online. While such an initiative would have normally been welcomed with open arms, BattlEye’s introduction resulted in the game losing Steam Deck compatibility, and this has apparently upset some fans to the point that they ended up launching cyberattacks against Rockstar Games.
A group of people opposed to the recentaddition of BattlEye Anti-Cheat toGTA Onlineused a botnet to target Rockstar Games' authentication servers with DDoS attacks, content creator and leaker Mors Mutual Insurance claimed in a series of posts on Twitter. The attacks seemingly limited the capabilities of the servers forGTA OnlineandRed Dead Online. Another Twitter user pointed out that BattlEye’s website also went offline around the same time Rockstar Games' servers were hit. A different perpetrator was behind the attack on BattlEye’s site, according to Mors Mutual, whose name is based on an insurance company that is featured inGTA 5.
September 2024 Cyberattacks Against Rockstar Games
Rockstar Gamesnotes in a FAQthat the Steam Deck does not supportGTA Online’s specific implementation of BattlEye. Valveclaimed in a past blog postthat developers need only contact BattlEye to enable the anti-cheat solution on Proton, the compatibility layer that allows Windows applications to run on Linux devices like the Steam Deck without requiring any additional tweaks from users. People have already managed to get several titles that utilize BattlEye to work on Valve’s handheld, includingARK: Survival Evolved,DayZ, andMount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, with thefirst game even being part of the growinglist of Steam Deck verified games.
Aside from integrating BattlEye, thelatest update forGTA Onlinealso addressed some bugs, such as one that causedplayers to crash. Another issue thatRockstar Gamesresolved had restricted players from being able to accept invites or join others.
