Resident Evil publisher Capcom has reported a hack and unauthorized access that affected internal emails and file servers. The Japanese publisher has been quiet in the leadup to next-generation console releases this year, with only the release of Resident Evil 3 and a collection of Mega Man Zero games on the books. Its future slate includes Resident Evil Village, Monster Hunter Rise, and a mostly unknown title called Pragmata that's due in 2022. Outside of the game publishing business it's mostly known for in the West, the company also has interests in pachinko machines and real estate in Japan.
While Capcom may be the latest publisher to deal with a data breach, it's not the only one in 2020. Nintendo saw a gargantuan number of files and assets leak onto the internet over the summer, an event known by fans as the Nintendo Gigaleak. Full source codes for Nintendo 64 classics like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time hit the web, as well as files concerning unreleased games like a canceled Pokémon MMO for Game Boy Advance. While nothing in the Capcom hack appears to be as sensitive as the Gigaleak, it's still a big cause for concern.
Capcom reported the unauthorized access earlier this week on its Japanese website. The company's statement reveals that an unknown party gained access to Capcom's internal servers on the morning of November 2, causing the company to halt services related to those servers in order to minimize damage. While this affected Capcom employees at the time, there were no consequences for players of Capcom's online games or anyone browsing on their official websites. An investigation into the event is underway, with Capcom consulting with police and other authorities to try to resolve the matter.
One positive of the event is that Capcom has confirmed that there were no issues with customer data. Data breaches can cause a lot of pain to customers caught in the crossfire, especially when their credit cards or email accounts are compromised. None of that will seemingly be an issue with this Capcom hack. The statement wraps up with Capcom apologizing to its shareholders for any issues the announcement may cause and a vow to keep onlookers updated as more facts come to light about the unauthorized access.
Outside of fantasy worlds like those depicted in the Mega Man series, it's never a good thing when companies are hacked, but players can take some comfort in knowing that things could have been much worse. With customer data safe, this latest data breach can be mostly ignored by the general public and treated as an internal issue. However, since the hacker did have access to internal emails, any leaks of upcoming Capcom games or other development information may ring truer than it otherwise might.
Source: Capcom