Elden Ring publisher reportedly hit by ransomware attack

Elden Ring and Dark Souls publisher Bandai Namco confirmed it was the victim of a ransomware attack that could leave a lot of the company’s important data under threat.

Cyber attacks are not uncommon in the 21st century as the rise of the internet, increased capabilities of technology, and the advanced skill of hackers make them easier to carry out.

It was in February 2021 that Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher devs CD Projekt Red were hit by their own ransomware attack, and now it seems like Elden Ring publisher Bandai Namco is on the receiving end of something similar.

Bandai Namco subjected to ransomware cyber attack

In a statement made to VGC released on July 13, 2022, Bandai Namco said, “On July 3, 2022, Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. confirmed that it experienced an unauthorized access by third party to the internal systems of several Group companies in Asian regions (excluding Japan).”

The Japanese company confirmed it has already begun taking measures to prevent any further damage.

“In addition, there is a possibility that customer information related to the Toys and Hobby Business in Asian regions (excluding Japan) was included in the servers and PCs, and we are currently identifying the status about existence of leakage, scope of the damage, and investigating the cause.”

Bandai Namco

Bandai Namco Entertainment first formed on March 31, 2006, following a merge between Namco, the retro video game developer and Bandai, the Japanese toy company and game publisher.

While it seems that at the moment no user information outside of Asian regions was compromised, those with information tied to Bandai Namco should assess their own situations with caution going forward.

Finally, Bandai Namco said, “We will continue to investigate the cause of this incident and will disclose the investigation results as appropriate,” before apologizing to those involved in the incident.

In short, a ransomware attack is a cyber crime that allows hackers to essentially steal data confidential data.

To not divulge this information to the general public or highest bidders, the hackers will demand a ransom of an unspecified amount to keep the information secure.

News of the alleged attack first came from vx-underground, the self-proclaimed “Largest collection of malware source code, samples, and papers on the internet,” who said, “ALPHV ransomware group (alternatively referred to as BlackCat ransomware group) claims to have ransomed Bandai Namco.”

The reputable Japanese company has been behind many incredible franchises over the years including Dark Souls, Pac-Man, Ace Combat, Tekken, Time Crisis, amongst many others.

With Bandai Namco’s official statement on the matter out in the open, we’ll continue updating you if there are any additional details on the story.