A hack on Archive of Our Own has led to a prolonged downtime, leaving users without access and the extent of the breach unclear.
This weekend’s PC gaming news is marked by disruption and intrigue, with the most significant story being the security breach of Archive of Our Own (AO3). This cornerstone of fanfiction communities worldwide has been unexpectedly taken offline following a cyber intrusion. While initially expected to be a 12-hour maintenance, the downtime is now anticipated to last between two to four weeks, as reported by PC Gamer. At this stage, AO3’s volunteer leadership is still assessing the scope of the intrusion. They’ve assured users that the archive’s data, including bookmarks and kudos, remain intact and that donor information is safe, stored on a separate system. However, the full extent of the breach remains undetermined, leaving the community in a state of suspense.
In other community-related news, the Elder Scrolls modding scene is experiencing tensions as the Skyblivion project finds itself embroiled in legal issues. According to PC Gamer, a former volunteer has filed a lawsuit against the modding team, citing disputes over contributions to the project. The mod, which seeks to bring The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion into the Skyrim engine, has gained significant popularity and thus, potential material benefits for its contributors. However, the project’s lead, identified as Rebelzize, has cautioned against turning the situation into a “witch hunt,” a sign of the delicate community dynamics at play in large, volunteer-driven projects.
Lastly, a lighter note arrives courtesy of PC Gamer’s reader poll, which has named Alien: Isolation as the scariest game on PC. The game, renowned for its nerve-wracking tension and atmospheric dread driven by the Xenomorph’s AI, outpaced competitors such as SOMA, Darkwood, Silent Hill 2, and Amnesia: The Dark Descent in a week-long voting process. This result reconfirms Alien: Isolation’s status as a paragon of the horror genre. For horror enthusiasts, this is a timely reminder of exactly what makes it a perennial favorite as discussed in PC Gamer.
