Twitch, the video game-centric live streaming platform, has suffered a data breach so massive it can only be described as disastrous. Along with information pertaining to top streamer subscriber numbers and income, apparently Twitch is or has been working on a competitor to Steam called Vapor.
Per our sister-site PC Gamer, the name of the platform is likely a cheeky codename as it's unlikely Twitch would so closely mimic Steam's name. Vapor would not only compete with Steam and the Epic Games Store but also integrate Twitch-centric features for popular titles such as Fortnite and PUBG.
- Ultimate guide to Twitch: tips, tricks, gear and more
- How to enable Twitch two-factor authentication
- Plus: Nintendo Switch OLED review
Twitch's official Twitter account confirmed today (Oct. 6) that "a breach has taken place" but did not confirm the nature or extent of the stolen data.
Unfortunately, there's little other information to go on so far. At this moment, we can't even say if Vapor will ever materialize.
What we do know, apart from in-game integration with Twitch, is that there was code for a game called Vapeworld. It doesn't seem to be a vape-shop simulator. Instead, it may be an open-world metaverse-type platform similar to VRChat, an existing game in which users can create avatars and hang out with other people in virtual reality.
Some Vapeworld assets, including some 3d emotes with specular and albedo mapsI don't have whatever version of unity installed that they used, so I'm limited in what assets i can get caps of with stuff like blener and renderdoc.There's custom unity plugins in here for devs too. pic.twitter.com/6y4woQDcstOctober 6, 2021
Interestingly, Vapeworld also included some familiar, if curious assets. There were 3D emotes of painter Bob Ross, cards from the game Hearthstone and other 3D models we can't make full sense of.
Apart from Vape world, it's interesting to see the purported earnings of some of Twitch's biggest stars. If the leaked files are real, then streamers like Félix "xQc" Lengyel brought in over $8.4 million, before taxes. Ludwig Ahgren, another top streamer who recently surpassed Tyler "Ninja" Blevins' in most paid subscribers, brought in $3.2 million.
It's uncertain which years these earnings reflect. The pseudonymous hacker who posted a link to a torrent containing the stolen data said that the financial records went back to 2019.
With about 125GB of data available, gamers and security researchers — and perhaps Twitch's competitors — may be poring over every document. It will take some time before all the information comes to light. But we'll continue keeping an eye out for anything major.
- More: These are the best streaming microphones out right now
