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Yes. Canadian developer Red Barrels disclosed in October 2024 that a cybersecurity incident affected its internal IT systems and some data, significantly disrupting production. The studio said players were not impacted. The case shows that a cyber incident can disrupt game development; it does not show that Canadian studios are targeted more often than other industries.
What happened at Red Barrels?
In an October 2, 2024 statement, the Montreal-based studio behind Outlast said a cybersecurity event affected its internal IT systems and involved access to some data. Red Barrels said it contained the event after investigating and that players were not impacted.
The clearest reported consequence was to development: “The hit on our production timeline has been significant,” the Red Barrels Team said. The studio also said some planned content would be delayed. Its disclosure does not specify how the intruder gained access or precisely what data was accessed.
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Those limits matter. A cybersecurity incident is a broad term for an event affecting the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of systems or data. Unauthorized access means someone accessed a system or information without permission. Data exposure does not by itself establish that information was copied or published; confirmed exfiltration means data was taken out. Ransomware is a type of attack that commonly encrypts or otherwise blocks access to data, often alongside a demand for payment. Red Barrels’ statement does not confirm ransomware, source-code theft, player-record theft, or any specific attacker.
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How does the Red Barrels case compare with Ubisoft incidents?
Ubisoft is headquartered in France and has Canadian studios. Its confirmed 2022 incident should not be described as a confirmed breach at one of those Canadian locations.
| Incident | Evidence and affected area | Player-data statement | Reported consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Barrels, October 2024 | The Canadian developer’s company statement disclosed an event affecting internal IT systems and involving access to some data. | Red Barrels said players were not impacted. | The studio said production was significantly affected and some planned content would be delayed. |
| Ubisoft, March 2022 | Ubisoft’s confirmed company-wide incident temporarily disrupted some games, systems, and services. | Ubisoft said there was no evidence that player personal information was accessed or exposed. | Some services were temporarily disrupted, and the company reset staff passwords. |
| Ubisoft, December 2023 | The Record reported that Ubisoft was investigating claims of an intrusion. The reported claims were allegations, not a confirmed company disclosure of access. | Not established by the cited report. | Not established by the cited report. |
Ubisoft described the March 2022 event this way: “Last week, Ubisoft experienced a cyber security incident that caused temporary disruption to some of our games, systems, and services.” The company said it had no evidence that player personal information was accessed or exposed in that incident. The separate December 2023 report concerned claims Ubisoft was investigating; those claims should not be treated as verified access or data theft.
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Why can an incident disrupt a game studio?
Game development depends on more than the systems players see. Depending on the company, internal tools may support development, collaboration, creative assets, online services, and player-facing systems. An incident affecting internal IT can therefore interrupt work even when the company says players were not affected. These are plausible areas of exposure for a game business, not a claim about what was accessed at Red Barrels or Ubisoft.
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security describes ransomware actors targeting Canadian organizations as financially motivated and opportunistic. Its 2025–2027 Ransomware Threat Outlook says ransomware-as-a-service has lowered technical barriers and that initial-access brokers can make attacks more efficient. This broad assessment does not establish that either named company was targeted by ransomware or for a particular reason.
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The Centre’s ransomware guidance says: “Basic cyber security practices would prevent the vast majority of ransomware incidents in Canada.” Its prevention advice is general organizational guidance, not evidence of a tested studio-specific checklist.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What do the Canadian cybercrime figures say—and not say?
The Cyber Centre’s 2025 outlook gives a sense of the broader Canadian business environment, but none of these figures is a game-industry rate:
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- The Centre reports an average 26% year-over-year increase in Canadian ransomware incidents known to it from 2021 to 2024. This is a historical national series, not a forecast for 2025.
- In Canadian Survey of Cyber Security and Cybercrime data for 2023, published in October 2024 and cited in the outlook, 13% of businesses that reported cyber-security incidents identified ransomware as the method of attack.
- The outlook cites CAD 1.2 billion in total recovery costs associated with cyber-security incidents in 2023, double the previous reported total. This is a broad Canadian business figure, not an estimate for game companies.
The same outlook warns that incidents are underreported. These numbers help explain why organizations take cyber risk seriously, but they do not establish that game studios are “prime” or disproportionately targeted.
How can studios reduce the risk and prepare for disruption?
The cited incidents do not reveal which controls the companies had in place or exactly what would have prevented them. The Cyber Centre’s organizational guidance is a starting point for reducing common ransomware risks. Studios can also plan for the operational problem Red Barrels described: restoring work and managing delays after internal systems are affected.
- Protect access: Apply basic security practices and restrict access to internal systems and sensitive data to the people and services that need it.
- Prepare recovery: Plan how essential work will resume if internal tools or data become unavailable, and establish how backups and restored systems will be handled.
- Coordinate response: Decide who will investigate, make containment decisions, communicate with employees and partners, and assess possible player impact.
- Exercise the plan: Tabletop exercises can help teams rehearse decisions during an incident. This is a general preparedness approach, not a control verified as used by either studio.
For guidance aimed at Canadian organizations, consult the Cyber Centre’s ransomware guidance and its Ransomware Threat Outlook 2025–2027.
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