Last week, Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt studio CD Projekt Red revealed that, in a ransomware attack, hackers had managed to copy the source code for both of these games plus others, and some of the company’s internal data. The ransom note they left behind gave the studio 48 hours to make contact with the hackers, or they would sell what they had taken online. CDPR said in a statement that they would not negotiate with the hackers. Now, the data has reportedly been sold.
Cyber-security firm Kela tweeted screenshots of a post on a hacking forum called Exploit. Apparently made by the hackers, the post explains that a buyer from outside the forum made an offer to them and subsequently asked that the auction for the data be ended. This was confirmed by another cyber-security account, vx-underground.
CD Projekt Red going once, going twice, sold
Update: a mistake was made. They stated starting bid $1kk. This was assumed as a typo for $1,000. They meant $1,000,000. They are also selling immediately for $7,000,000.
Attached images supplied by @DrFurfagMD pic.twitter.com/JnOcwnGqZk
— vx-underground (@vxunderground) February 10, 2021
Vx-underground also reported details of the auction. Source code for Thronebreaker, The Witcher 3 (the original and a version that apparently has raytracing), and Cyberpunk 2077 was auctioned off, as well as copies of CD Projekt Red’s internal documents. The auction started at US$1,000,000, with the option to buy everything immediately for US$7,000,000. Right now, it’s unknown who the buyer was.
CDPR has yet to release an official statement regarding this update, and has not yet responded to The Verge‘s request for comment, though Vice said they had been told by the company that they were “actively investigating this incident.”
The attack and subsequent news surrounding it have led to abounding online discussion. Many of those disappointed with Cyberpunk 2077 have taken to Twitter to express that their empathy wells have run dry for CDPR. Some speculate that this may even be some kind of publicity stunt by CDPR to garner sympathy after the terrible reception to Cyberpunk 2077, though right now there isn’t any evidence suggesting this is true.
Source: The Verge