The Windows version of an action RPG game calledGoddess of Victory: Nikke seems to have been hacked to secretly serve malware to unsuspecting users.
The developers of the game posted a tweet, alluding to the threat. “We have identified an issue indicating that the PC Launcher’s script files may have been tampered with by a third party,” it said.
The developers refrained from mentioning details, only that a fix started rolling on Wednesday. “We are currently investigating the scope of the impact caused by this issue, and we will provide further details regarding follow-up measures in a separate notice,” the tweet added.
This comes after an internet user named MotherSphere documented evidence about the malware circulating through the game’s launcher. “From Oct 23 at the latest, opening the launcher could install a remote-control agent: while the launcher was open, the attacker could run any command on your machine, read any file and take screenshots,” the report warned.
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The game Goddess of Victory: Nikkeisn’t available on Steam, but through its own Windows-based executable launcher from the official website. It looks like the same launcher was fetching the tampered Javascript files from the game’s publisher, Tencent’s Level Infinite.
According to MotherSphere, four Javascript files for the game were modified with to contain malicious computer code. The hacker seems to have done so by infiltrating a content delivery network server from Level Infinite, and adding the malicious payload on September 27th.
MotherSphere’s research found the malware only targeted some victim machines, not all. But if the malware installs, it can also steal passwords, loot cookies from the user’s browsers, and plunder cryptowallet information.
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MotherSphere says users can manually check if they were affected by opening their Nikke install folder, opening “Launcher/intl_service/debug.log” in a text editor, and searching for “k2f_chan.” The presence of the k2f_chan indicates the malware ran over the PC. Some users have reported finding the k2f_chan in the log file. If you are infected, it’s recommended to reinstall Windows just to be safe.
It’s also possible for the malware to target Linux and Steam Deck devices if the game was run over the Proton compatibility layer, MotherSphere added. Although the game’s developer did clean the four tampered Javascript files, MotherSphere still warned: “None of this undoes anything on machines that were already infected…. Before you open the launcher again, delete its cache folder %APPDATA%nikke_launchertbs_cache (inside your prefix on Proton), because it can still hold the modified files and the launcher would load them again.”
Goddess of Victory: Nikkeis also available for Android and iOS. In 2024, the game reported crossing 45 million downloads worldwide.
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Michael Kan
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I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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