MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Blizzard has suffered an attack on its servers that halted access to many of its games.
Hacking group Lizard Squad has claimed credit for the attacks on social media, pre-empting the downtime with a Get Ready” message. It has also warned that further attacks are on the way, although Blizzard’s assorted services appear to be restored for now.
The group has also posted images that appear to show it has gained access to the personal accounts of some Blizzard employees.
Lizard Squad achieved notoriety in 2014 when it disrupted both PSN and Xbox Live over Christmas, ruining the holiday down time for plenty of people.
Members of the group have faced prosecution, although that hasn’t stopped its efforts. In fact, they’ve become ever more audacious, targeting even government organisations. Fellow anarchic keyboard warriors Anonymous have even declared open war on terrorist organisation ISIS.
Why has Lizard Squad has targeted Blizzard? It’s impossible to say. Some have speculated that it’s in response to the recent closure of a World of Warcraft server that was popular among those who wanted to run either an original or pirated version of the game. Others have linked it to the kerfuffle surrounding Tracer’s bum in Overwatch. Boredom could just as easily be the cause, however.
