Gaming’s Existential Threat: How to Avoid DDoS Disaster With SteelShield™

The games industry is a colossus. Its global revenue eclipses both movies and music combined. But this capstone on the pyramid of entertainment isn’t without its cracks. Gaming’s marked ascent in industry dominance has attracted all manner of interested persons and parties - including provocateurs. Malicious actors and cybercriminals have flooded the games industry for years now and are increasingly targeting game servers with Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. This rise in network attacks is crippling to games, studios, and players alike.

By shuttering online services, jamming game network traffic, obstructing players, and hampering infrastructure, DDoS attacks have had a detrimental impact on the industry as a whole. DDoS attacks overwhelm game servers with a flood of worthless network traffic through a multitude of different sources, incapacitating online functionality. They often lead to frustrated players, damaged reputations, and financial losses. And no studio is safe from them. In June of 2023, Activision Blizzard became the victim of such an impeding attack. Lasting for more than 10 hours, the industry behemoth fell prey to a lengthy DDoS assault that shut players out from some of gaming’s most popular titles like Call of Duty, Diablo IV, and World of Warcraft.  And that wasn’t the beginning of Activision Blizzard’s trouble either. Several months prior, the then eagerly-awaited Overwatch 2 was also the target of a large-scale DDoS attack the day after its release, hampering its launch; and numerous attacks have plagued the game ever since. This goes to show not only the threat of these types of network strikes but also how difficult it is to combat them, even for gaming’s giants.

Another high-profile DDoS attack involved Square Enix’s wildly popular MMO, Final Fantasy XIV, which suffered DDoS attacks that lasted several days in May 2024, resulting in players being unable to log in. This attack came ahead of a soon-to-be-released expansion, Dawntrail, which could have been detrimental to the health of the game had the network attacks persisted. The ensuing lag, disconnections, and unplayable matches that stem from DDoS attacks create for miserable player experiences and can easily lead to more severe consequences ranging from player churn to negative review bombs and even significant financial losses.

There is clearly an evolving problem in the games industry, and the hazard of DDoS attacks threaten all stakeholders, be they studios, players, or otherwise. The good news is there is now a solution, strategically crafted to repel the very first packet of a DDoS attack in its tracks.

Addressing the Growing DDoS Threat

The need for robust DDoS protection in gaming specifically is becoming more critical than ever. In 2024, there was an alarming increase in the frequency and sophistication of DDoS attacks on game servers and networks. According to a report by GCore, the number of DDoS attacks in the first half of 2024 dramatically grew by 46% compared to the same period in 2023. The attack power behind these attacks also continues to surge. DDoS attacks were generally measured in gigabits per second (Gbps) of junk network traffic; now, however, this has escalated into terabits per second (Tbps) - an order of magnitude higher.

The games industry has solidified itself as one of the most targeted sectors, accounting for 49% of all DDoS attacks. It’s a high profile industry; paired with a growing competitive scene and the developing reliance on continuous player engagement and monetization, the stakes are reaching their zenith.

Another report by Akamai highlights the heightened complexity of DDoS attacks. As of 2024, attackers are increasing their number of attack vectors, meaning a higher chance for a denial of service. What’s more, the rise of geopolitical tensions and “hacktivism” has also contributed to this increase in DDoS attacks. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region experienced more than three times as many DDoS attacks as the Asia-Pacific and Latin American regions combined.

This information serves to underscore the urgent need for effective, efficient DDoS mitigation. And with the growing target on the games industry’s back, there couldn’t be a more critical time for a solution.

The Unique Challenge of DDoS Protection in Gaming

Protecting game servers from the threat of DDoS presents a unique challenge when compared to traditional solutions. Most DDoS protection is built to stand against web protocols such as HTTP(S) and TCP, leaving the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) that many game networks rely on sorely neglected. UDP is built for fast, lightweight connectivity and is ideal for the world of multiplayer gaming, but because it lacks certain error checking and flow control when compared to the commonplace TCP, it's harder for UDP to distinguish between legitimate and malicious packets of network traffic.

However, with the advent of an innovative, industry-leading solution, DDoS attacks in gaming will become significantly less damaging. GameFabric by Nitrado proudly offers an advanced, patented, and unique UDP and TCP DDoS protection system: SteelShield™.

As an additional solution offered under the GameFabric suite, SteelShield™ has emerged as a revolutionary defense that is specifically designed to protect multiplayer game servers from DDoS attacks. Being the only of its kind, it offers unparalleled protection against both UDP and TCP attacks, guaranteeing uninterrupted gaming experiences.

What makes SteelShield a true shift in the DDoS protection paradigm is its ability to integrate directly into a game’s network stack. Unlike traditional solutions that often operate externally, SteelShield can integrate directly within, acting as an unbreachable gate. With this deep integration, SteelShield can function within the confines of a game’s protocol suite, allowing it to act instantly against malicious traffic. By using a specialized signature method for packet inspection, SteelShield can legitimize all traffic before it ever reaches a game server - only letting those that pass its security check through. Even when under attack, players will never know the difference, as malicious traffic simply doesn’t get the opportunity to force itself in. It’s a proactive approach and heavily mitigates this existential industry threat.

SteelShield is active and currently defending numerous games right now. Already, this state-of-the-art DDoS protection system has blocked up to a terabit of malicious attack traffic globally.

SteelShield's Benefits for Game Studios

Unmatched Protection

SteelShield provides impregnable defense against UDP and TCP attacks, safeguarding your game servers.

Instant Response

With its ability for deep integration, SteelShield acts instantly within your game’s network stack against malicious traffic, blocking attacks dead in their tracks.

Packet Signature and Inspection

Individual signatures and a granular analysis of each packet ensures only legitimate traffic is able to reach your servers.

Enhanced Player Experience

By preventing disruptions caused by network strikes, SteelShield keeps your player experience positive, aiding in customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Avoid Financial Losses

SteelShield’s robust defenses can help you avoid financial losses associated with downtime and player churn caused by relentless DDoS attacks.

Reputational Guardianship

Avoid negative review bombing and social media catastrophes by implementing this industry-leading tool that keeps you fully online and functional.

Peace of Mind

We take the aggro so you can focus on developing incredible gaming experiences. Online play should be fun, safe, and seamless.

DDoS attacks have presented themselves as an ever-increasing and consistently damaging existential threat to the games industry. With gaming being a main sector targeted by network attacks, and a year-over-year growth in attack power, game studios need an innovative solution to put an end to the risk of damaged player experiences, reputational destruction, and financial loss now more than ever. GameFabric presents this advanced solution through SteelShield. With a unique focus on UDP and TCP, and a combination of seamless integration, packet signatures, and instant response times, SteelShield has become the games industry’s choice defense in blocking the menace of DDoS attacks.

GameFabric and SteelShield are reliable, fortified, and ready for deployment. Reach out today for your own personalized demo.