Bandai Namco

Bandai Namco, the renowned Japanese video game publisher behind franchises like *Elden Ring*, *Pac-Man*, and *Tekken*, fell victim to a **BlackCat/AlphV ransomware attack**. As the **third-largest gaming company in Japan** (with ~$7.3B annual revenue), the breach raises critical concerns over data security. While investigations are ongoing, the company confirmed **potential unauthorized access to customer data** across certain subbranches, though no stolen data has been publicly leaked yet. The **BlackCat ransomware gang**, known for prior attacks on Swissport and Moncler, claimed responsibility. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in high-profile gaming enterprises, with risks of **financial, reputational, and operational damage**—especially if customer data (e.g., payment details, personal information) was exfiltrated. The attack underscores the escalating threat of **ransomware targeting major corporations**, where even the *possibility* of data exposure can erode trust and trigger regulatory scrutiny. Bandai Namco’s response—proactive investigation and transparency—aims to mitigate fallout, but the long-term impact depends on whether sensitive data was compromised and whether the attackers escalate demands (e.g., ransom extortion).

Source: https://www.acronis.com/en/tru/posts/bandai-namco-hit-by-blackcat-ransomware/

TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/bandai-namco-entertainment-america

"id": "ban5392053092125",
"linkid": "bandai-namco-entertainment-america",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "9/2025",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization’s existence"

{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'potential (subbranches)',
                        'industry': 'video games',
                        'location': 'Japan',
                        'name': 'Bandai Namco',
                        'size': 'large (third-largest games publisher in '
                                'Japan)',
                        'type': 'corporation'}],
 'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'unconfirmed (under investigation)',
                 'personally_identifiable_information': 'potential',
                 'type_of_data_compromised': 'potential (customer data)'},
 'description': 'The Japanese video game giant Bandai Namco, known for '
                'publishing franchises like Elden Ring, Pac-Man, and Tekken, '
                'has been hit by BlackCat/AlphV ransomware. The company is '
                'investigating what information was accessed and whether any '
                'customer data was exfiltrated. The BlackCat ransomware gang '
                'has claimed responsibility but has not yet released any '
                'stolen data.',
 'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'potential (high-profile attack on a '
                                       'major gaming publisher)',
            'data_compromised': 'potential (customer data for some subbranches '
                                'may have been accessed)'},
 'investigation_status': 'ongoing (assessing accessed data and potential '
                         'exfiltration)',
 'motivation': ['financial gain', 'data exfiltration (potential)'],
 'ransomware': {'data_exfiltration': 'claimed but not yet released',
                'ransomware_strain': 'BlackCat/AlphV'},
 'references': [{'source': 'Cybersecurity news report (unspecified)'},
                {'source': 'Acronis Cyber Protect (mention of ransomware '
                           'protection)'}],
 'response': {'incident_response_plan_activated': 'yes (investigation '
                                                  'ongoing)'},
 'threat_actor': 'BlackCat/AlphV',
 'title': 'Bandai Namco Ransomware Attack by BlackCat/AlphV',
 'type': ['ransomware', 'data breach (potential)']}