Summary
- Rockstar Games was hit by DDoS attacks following a GTA Online update that added BattlEye Anti-Cheat.
- Fans upset over lost Steam Deck compatibility as a result of the anti-cheat have reportedly launched cyberattacks.
- The DDoS attacks targeted Rockstar and BattlEye servers, affecting GTA Online and Red Dead Online.
Rockstar Games, known for its Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead games, 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 after Rockstar Games released the latest update for Grand Theft Auto Online.
In the patch notes for GTA 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, a problem that has long plagued GTA 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.
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A group of people opposed to the recent addition of BattlEye Anti-Cheat to GTA Online used 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 for GTA Online and Red 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 in GTA 5.
September 2024 Cyberattacks Against Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games notes in a FAQ that the Steam Deck does not support GTA Online's specific implementation of BattlEye. Valve claimed in a past blog post that 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, including ARK: Survival Evolved, DayZ, and Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, with the first game even being part of the growing list of Steam Deck verified games.
Aside from integrating BattlEye, the latest update for GTA Online also addressed some bugs, such as one that caused players to crash. Another issue that Rockstar Games resolved had restricted players from being able to accept invites or join others.
- Date Founded
- December 22, 1998
- Headquarters
- New York, New York, United States
- CEO
- Sam Houser
- Parent Company
- Take-Two Interactive
- Subsidiaries
- Rockstar North, Rocksteady Studios, Rockstar India, Rockstar Lincoln
- Known For
- Grand Theft Auto