Valve has officially removed the game “Sniper: Phantom’s Resolution” from the Steam store following urgent user reports that its free demo was surreptitiously installing malware on players’ computers.
A Deceptive Steam Listing
The game, titled Sniper: Phantom’s Resolution, had enticed potential players with promises of “realistic first-person shooter mechanics, dynamic storytelling, and high-stakes missions,” according to an archive of its Steam page.
User Warnings and Discovery
The security concerns surfaced earlier this week when several users on Reddit conducted their own technical analysis after downloading the content. Investigators discovered that the Steam listing directed users to an external developer website, which served as the actual host for the malicious game demo.
A Recurring Security Challenge for Valve
The removal of the title was first highlighted by TheGamer. This incident marks the second time in as many months that Valve has been forced to intervene regarding malicious software on its platform. Last month, the company removed a game called PirateFi, which was identified as a distribution vector for “info-stealer” malware designed to harvest user passwords.
Company Response
Valve has not provided a comment regarding the incident. It is important to clarify that the malicious demo was hosted on the developer’s private infrastructure rather than directly through Steam’s servers.
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