Steam game removed after scammer steals $150k

Steam removed a game that contained malware that stole cryptocurrency from the wallets of hundreds of players, as previously reported by Bleeping Computer. A free-to-play 2D platformer called BlockBlasters kidnapped The victims have over $150,000, including $32,000 from a streamer who was raising funds for cancer treatment.

In a post on X, malware tracker vx-underground discovered that attackers targeted some streamers with a spearphishing campaign that attempted to lure victims into promoting the game in exchange for compensation. “Unfortunately, the Steam game was actually a crypto-drainer disguised as a legitimate video game,” vx-underground wrote in a post on X.

As Bleeping Computer notes, BlockBlasters first appeared on Steam on July 30th, but a crypto-drainer was quietly added to the game on August 30th. It was published by developer Genesis Interactive and has received over 200 “very positive” reviews. The malicious title went largely unnoticed until Latvian streamer Raivo Plavniks (Rastaland.TV), who is suffering from stage 4 cancer, claimed to have lost $32,000 after downloading BlockBlasters over the weekend.

Steam has removed a number of games that were infecting Windows computers with malware, including PirateFi, Sniper: Phantom's Resolution, and Chemia. On September 21, Steam removed BlockBlasters. The Verge reached out to Valve for comment but did not immediately receive a response.