Ubisoft Takes Rainbow Six Siege Offline Following Holiday Cyberattack

Ubisoft’s popular tactical shooter, Rainbow Six Siege, was taken offline following a significant cyberattack during the holiday season. On December 27, 2023, the gaming publisher reported an “incident” that led to widespread disruptions, including connectivity, authentication, and matchmaking issues. The game’s Service Status page continues to display warnings about these unplanned problems several days later.

The cyberattack was orchestrated by a hacker group that reportedly manipulated the game’s account system. Thousands of accounts were banned and subsequently unbanned, and players were erroneously granted two billion credits and renown, alongside access to all available premium skins. In response to the chaos, Ubisoft made the decision to “intentionally shut down” the game and its online store while the development team conducted an investigation into the matter.

Ubisoft has assured players that no penalties will be enforced for the inadvertent use of funds during the hack. The company rolled back all transactions made in the game during the incident and initiated a “soft” invite-only re-launch on December 29, 2023. Following the re-launch, the development team closely monitored the game environment to ensure stability and player satisfaction.

In a statement, Ubisoft expressed gratitude to the community for their patience as they worked diligently to resolve the ongoing issues. The team emphasized their commitment to investigating the root causes of the disruptions and restoring normal gameplay for all users.

At the time of writing, further details regarding the third-party hack have not been disclosed. However, Ubisoft confirmed that an official R6 ShieldGuard ban wave occurred, which is not connected to the recent incident. The company continues to prioritize security for its players and the integrity of its gaming services.

As Ubisoft navigates the aftermath of this cyberattack, players remain hopeful for a swift resolution, eager to return to the immersive experience that Rainbow Six Siege has to offer.