Secret Neighbour taken offline after hacker wipes player data and demands removal from sale

The multiplayer spin-off of the horror game Hello Neighbor has been temporarily shut down after a hacker breached its backend systems, deleted player progression, and demanded the game be pulled from sale on all platforms.

The incident, which took place last week, involved an individual who obtained administrative credentials for the game. The hacker then wiped player profiles, in-game progress, and other data, while also launching what developer Hologryph and publisher tinyBuild described in a Steam post as a "coordinated attack on our server systems and infrastructure" across every platform where Secret Neighbor is available.

Hologryph and tinyBuild addressed the situation in a statement on Steam, as reported by delistedgames. They explained that the hacker had "stated they intend to continue targeting the game and its backend systems until the game is removed from sale across all platforms." The developer and publisher emphasised that no personal data or information had been compromised in the attack. However, because the incident is still ongoing, they have chosen to "temporarily shut down the game until we had addressed the breach and closed any vulnerabilities that may have led to the incident."

The companies have notified the relevant authorities about the situation. They are also working with PlayFab, the company that provides Secret Neighbor's backend services, in an attempt to recover the data that was wiped.

No timeline for resolution

As for when the issue might be resolved, no timeframe has been provided. Secret Neighbor remains available to purchase on Steam, despite the temporary shutdown. Hologryph and tinyBuild have said they will keep players updated "on our progress and how the situation unfolds going forwards."

Secret Neighbor originally launched in 2019 as a multiplayer spin-off of the 2017 horror game Hello Neighbor. The following year, tinyBuild invested $3 million into Hologryph, becoming a majority stakeholder in the developer. That investment came a few months after tinyBuild had acquired Dynamic Pixels, the original developer of Hello Neighbor.

A sequel to Hello Neighbor was released in 2022, and a third game in the series is reportedly in development. The original Hello Neighbor is still active, having reached its highest peak concurrent player count in March of this year.

The attack on Secret Neighbor highlights the vulnerability of online games that rely on third-party backend services. While the breach did not expose personal data, the loss of player progression is a significant blow to the community. The hacker's demand for removal from sale across all platforms adds an unusual layer of pressure, though the developer and publisher have not indicated any intention to comply with that demand.

For now, Secret Neighbor players are left waiting for updates on the recovery of their data and the restoration of the game's online services. The incident serves as a reminder of the risks inherent in online multiplayer games, where a single security lapse can have far-reaching consequences for the player base.