{"id":44307,"date":"2026-09-23T17:03:03","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T17:03:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/?p=44307"},"modified":"2026-09-23T17:03:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T17:03:03","slug":"steam-game-involving-ragdoll-mistreatment-faces-second-instance-of-mod-related-malware-in-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/?p=44307","title":{"rendered":"Steam Game Involving Ragdoll Mistreatment Faces Second Instance of Mod-Related Malware in 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"
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**People Playground Steam Workshop Disabled Due to Malicious Mod**<\/p>\n

In a notable incident, the popular sandbox game *People Playground* has seen its Steam Workshop temporarily disabled following the emergence of a malicious mod that allegedly distributes malware. The game’s developer, Mestiez, made an urgent announcement on September 22, advising players to refrain from launching the game until it is confirmed safe.<\/p>\n

On September 21, between 6 PM and 8 PM CEST, players who interacted with mods are particularly at risk and are encouraged to execute virus scans on their systems. The developer specified that players should delete all mods from their mods folder and avoid opening the game for the time being. The malware in question poses severe threats, including the potential to permanently erase a significant amount of personal data, corrupt Steam configuration and cloud data for other games, and even expose personal information from users’ Discord accounts on the Steam Workshop.<\/p>\n

Previously, Mestiez stated that the malware “DOES NOT steal your passwords, tokens, cookies, or other credentials,” but has since advised players to change passwords for important accounts as a precaution against potential exploitation of session tokens that may have been compromised.<\/p>\n

The developer has taken full responsibility for this issue, emphasizing that speculation about the perpetrator is unproductive. This incident marks the second time in a year that *People Playground* has fallen victim to malware linked to Steam Workshop mods. Earlier, in February, a different malicious mod disrupted players’ files and mod lists, leading to a temporary shutdown of the Workshop.<\/p>\n

As the developer works to ensure the game’s security, many players are left contemplating their future engagement with *People Playground*, particularly concerning the use of mods. The hope remains that enhanced security measures will bolster player trust and prevent similar occurrences in the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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People Playground, a Steam sandbox game about torturing or otherwise messing with innocent ragdolls that work like crash test dummies, has had its Steam Workshop disabled over a “malicious mod” peddling malware. That’s according to the game’s developer Mestiez, who’s urging anyone who played the game with mods on September 21st to run virus scans and has told everyone not to fire People Playground up until they’ve announced it’s safe to do so.<\/p>\n

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