Ubisoft Shuts Down Rainbow Six Siege Servers After Major Security Breach Floods Game with Billions in Credits

Ubisoft has taken the unprecedented step of shutting down all Rainbow Six Siege servers globally following a massive security breach that allowed hackers to distribute billions of in-game credits to players and seize control of core game systems. The French gaming giant confirmed the incident late Saturday, marking one of the most significant gaming security breaches of 2025.

The attack, which began Friday evening, saw hackers gain administrative access to Rainbow Six Siege’s backend systems, enabling them to grant every active player approximately 2 billion R6 Credits and Renown points—virtual currency typically purchased with real money. Based on current exchange rates, the distributed credits represent a potential financial impact of roughly $13.3 million per affected player, though the actual monetary damage to Ubisoft remains under assessment.

Beyond the currency distribution, the attackers demonstrated extensive control over the game’s infrastructure, manipulating ban systems to randomly suspend and restore player accounts, hijacking moderation feeds with custom messages, and unlocking premium cosmetic items across all user profiles. Screenshots circulated on social media showed players suddenly possessing massive inventories of rare skins and exclusive content typically reserved for high-spending customers.

“We’re aware of an incident currently affecting Rainbow Six Siege. Our teams are working on a resolution,” Ubisoft stated in its initial response before implementing the complete server shutdown approximately 30 minutes later. The company’s marketplace, where players purchase cosmetic items and battle passes, was also taken offline to prevent further exploitation.

The breach represents a significant escalation in gaming industry cyberattacks, following a year that saw $2.7 billion stolen from cryptocurrency and gaming platforms according to $6.5M In Venture Funding To Expand AI-driven Blockchain Security Solutions”>blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. Unlike traditional data breaches targeting personal information, this incident specifically manipulated in-game economies—a growing concern as virtual goods represent increasingly substantial revenue streams for publishers.

Industry analysts note that Rainbow Six Siege generates significant recurring revenue through its live-service model, with quarterly reports showing strong performance in Ubisoft’s multiplayer portfolio. The game, launched in 2015, maintains a substantial player base across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms, making the widespread nature of this breach particularly concerning for both players and investors.

Ubisoft has assured players they will not face punishment for spending the illicitly granted credits but announced plans to roll back all transactions made after 11:00 AM UTC Saturday. This rollback strategy aims to preserve legitimate player progress while eliminating the economic damage from the breach, though the technical complexity of such an operation across millions of accounts presents significant challenges.

The incident has prompted broader questions about security infrastructure in live-service games, particularly as the gaming industry increasingly relies on continuous online connectivity and real-money transactions. Security experts emphasize that the attackers’ ability to manipulate core game systems suggests vulnerabilities extending far beyond typical account compromises.

As Ubisoft works to restore service and implement additional security measures, the Rainbow Six Siege community remains on standby, with content creators and community leaders advising players to avoid logging in until official confirmation of system integrity. The company has promised regular updates as its security teams investigate the full scope of the breach and work to prevent similar incidents across its game portfolio.