The Dark Souls games have recently gone offline thanks to the discovery of a server compromise that threatens the security of users when playing online. The issue seems that it will allow malicious actors to hack a user's game remotely and thus gain access to their system, and the vulnerability has been widely reported to be a problem in both the Dark Souls games and FromSoftware's upcoming Elden Ring.
The Dark Souls games have always had hacking problems, so the recent revelation may not come as a huge surprise. Fans have reason to think that FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have begun to take the possibility of cheating and in-game hacks more seriously since Elden Ring will feature anti-cheat measures for the first time in any FromSoftware game. Hopefully this means a smoother, safer, and less frustrating experience for players at launch.
One of the current Dark Souls exploits was reported on by several users, but was revealed to many through a dramatic hacking of a streamer who was playing online and had their PC's text-to-speech function commandeered during a livestream, according to The Verge. A more apt demonstration of the problem probably couldn't have been asked for, though the potential damage from hackers could be far more severe.
Dark Souls Games On PC Will Remain Offline Until After Elden Ring's Launch
Those who still regularly play Dark Souls or its sequels online will, unfortunately, have some time to wait before they can get back to any PvP or co-op shenanigans, as the Dark Souls servers are going offline until Elden Ring's release. Bandai Namco and FromSoftware took to the official Dark Souls Twitter account to reassure fans that the problem has been identified and the issues will be ironed out, but the upcoming Elden Ring launch is clearly the priority, as the new game is apparently subject to some of the same vulnerabilities. The tweet was quick to point out that Elden Ring's launch will not be delayed as a result of the issues, undoubtedly a greater worry for many.
It's an unfortunate turn of events for those who may have been trying to polish their Soulslike skills by playing through the Dark Souls series on PC prior to Elden Ring's launch, but fans can at least breathe a sigh of relief that the issue is being proactively fixed and Elden Ring won't remain out of reach any longer as a result of the problem. The games are still playable offline, but the usual messaging and asynchronous multiplayer elements won't be available. Elden Ring releases without delay across all platforms on February 25, so at least it won't be too much longer before FromSoftware can focus at least a small amount of its resources toward reigniting the flame of the Dark Souls servers.
Source: The Verge