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Rainbow Six Siege Update: Devastating Hack Forces Game Shutdown

Screenshot of Rainbow Six Siege ban feed displaying Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' lyrics and an in-game currency counter showing billions, illustrating the effects of a severe hack.

Imagine logging into your favorite tactical shooter, only to find the game’s ban feed scrolling through the lyrics of Michael Jackson’s "Billie Jean" and your account suddenly overflowing with billions in in-game currency. No, this isn't a bizarre dream sequence; this was the chaotic reality for Rainbow Six Siege players just before the holidays, as a devastating third-party hack forced Ubisoft to do the unthinkable: briefly shut down the entire game.

Even now, as we close out 2025, the fallout from this unprecedented cyber-attack continues to plague the popular shooter. While Ubisoft scrambles to restore order, the game’s infrastructure remains wobbly, leaving players in a frustrating limbo. Let's break down what happened and where things stand.

The Siege of Chaos: What Went Down?

The incident, which Ubisoft first acknowledged as an "incident" on December 27th, quickly escalated into a full-blown crisis. Hackers didn't just breach the system; they seemingly took it over with a theatrical flourish. Player reports painted a wild picture of the attack's extent:

  • Thousands of players were mysteriously banned, then just as quickly unbanned.
  • The ban feed itself became a canvas, displaying the lyrics to Michael Jackson’s "Billie Jean" as dozens of fake accounts were sequentially banned. It was an audacious, almost cinematic act of defiance.
  • Every player was reportedly gifted 2 billion credits and renown each. Yes, that’s billion with a 'B'.
  • Perhaps even more shocking, every premium skin in the game was unlocked for all players, free of charge.

This wasn't just a data breach; it was a hostile takeover that shattered the game's economy and its very sense of integrity. Ubisoft, with little choice, made the difficult decision to "intentionally shut down" both Siege and its associated Marketplace to get a handle on the chaos.

Ubisoft's Battle Plan: Rollbacks and Reassurance

In the aftermath, Ubisoft has been working around the clock, though detailed information has been sparse. Their initial communications confirmed the shutdown, emphasizing that teams were focused on resolving the issue. Crucially, they’ve stated that while erroneous transactions have been rolled back, "nobody will be banned for spending credits received." A huge relief for many players who suddenly found themselves swimming in ill-gotten gains.

The publisher also clarified that a separate, legitimate R6 ShieldGuard ban wave did occur, unrelated to the hack, to avoid further confusion. The focus, they assured players, was on account integrity and executing extensive quality control tests post-rollback.

By December 28th, a "soft launch" was attempted, allowing only a small number of players back in for live testing. This cautious approach continued until December 29th, when the game finally reopened to all. However, the return hasn't been without its own set of headaches:

  • Players experienced significant queues while connecting.
  • Those who logged in during the affected period "may temporarily lose access to some owned items." Investigations and corrections for these issues are expected to continue for the next two weeks.
  • The in-game Marketplace, a core component of Siege's economy, remains resolutely closed "until further notice."

Ubisoft has appealed for patience, stating, "We appreciate your patience as we work hard to investigate the cause of these known issues and ensure the whole community can get back to playing Siege."

The Long Road Ahead: Siege's Lingering Scars

As we speak, the battle for stability is far from over. Despite Ubisoft's efforts, the game's official service status page paints a stark picture of ongoing struggles. Across all platforms – PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and even last-gen systems – critical services are still listed as either "degraded" or experiencing a complete "outage."

This includes fundamental aspects of the game experience:

  • Connectivity: Getting into the game can still be a challenge.
  • Authentication: Logging in successfully isn't always guaranteed.
  • In-game Store: Still largely non-functional, tied to the Marketplace closure.
  • Matchmaking: Finding a game might be slower or more difficult than usual.

The impact of this hack is profound. It’s not just about lost credits or temporary item access; it’s about a breach of trust, a disruption of a live-service game’s core functionality, and the sheer audacity of the attack itself. While Ubisoft works tirelessly, the return to full stability, and indeed, full player confidence, will undoubtedly be a long and arduous journey.

FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered

Will I be banned for spending the hacked credits or using the unlocked skins?

Ubisoft has explicitly stated that "nobody will be banned for spending credits received" during the hack. While they've rolled back erroneous transactions, they've reassured players that no punitive action will be taken for those who spent the ill-gotten gains.

Why is the Rainbow Six Siege Marketplace still closed?

The Marketplace was intentionally shut down alongside the main game during the incident. Given the extensive disruption to the in-game economy and item ownership, Ubisoft likely needs to perform thorough integrity checks and corrections before reopening it to prevent further exploits or issues. It remains closed "until further notice."

What should I do if I've lost access to my owned items after the hack?

Ubisoft has acknowledged that players who logged in during the affected period "may temporarily lose access to some owned items." They are actively investigating and correcting these issues, with fixes expected to continue over the next two weeks. Your best course of action is to monitor official Rainbow Six Siege communication channels for updates and ensure your account details are secure.