Table of contents
- A coordinated attack shaking the gaming world
- How the crypto scam worked
- Valve in the spotlight
- The community reaction
- The rise of crypto crime in 2025
A coordinated attack shaking the gaming world
A new cyberattack has hit the gaming and e-sports industry, targeting some of the most popular YouTube channels worldwide.
Among the affected are official channels for Dota 2, ESL, PGL, Esports World Cup, and Mobile Legends MPL Indonesia, all hijacked to promote a fake meme coin.
The operation, detected in the early hours of October 17, also affected channels related to Valve, the company behind legendary titles such as Counter-Strike and Half-Life.
How the crypto scam worked
Hackers uploaded fake videos imitating official e-sports broadcasts, embedding fraudulent links to a supposed crypto token in video descriptions and comments.
Their goal: to push users into buying the scam coin, disguised as an exclusive reward linked to Valve and Dota 2.
Many of these videos remained online for several hours, gathering hundreds of thousands of views before YouTube removed them.
Although it’s unclear how many viewers were deceived, the incident underscores the vulnerability of major streaming platforms to crypto-related manipulation.
Valve in the spotlight
The breach carries extra weight for Valve, which only weeks ago had to remove a malware-infected game from Steam after it enabled the theft of over $150,000 in crypto assets.
Now, this new attack further shakes the community’s trust in the company’s security ecosystem.
So far, Valve has not issued an official statement, but players and fans have already mobilized to report the fake content and limit potential damage.
The community reaction
The gaming community responded swiftly. Fans of Dota 2 and Counter-Strike flooded YouTube with reports and warnings, helping to get the fake videos removed within hours.
However, experts warn that similar crypto scams could easily resurface on other channels.
Users are urged to avoid clicking on crypto links or airdrop promotions, even when they appear on verified accounts.
The rise of crypto crime in 2025
The year 2025 is proving to be a record-breaking one for crypto crime, with losses exceeding $3 billion globally, according to BeInCrypto.
While most people associate crypto fraud with hacked exchanges or rug pulls, this incident shows that gaming and streaming platforms are also prime targets.
The takeaway: no digital brand is immune, no matter how large its following or how advanced its security systems.
