This Game Is Getting Fixed Because There Are Too Many Scares

Horror has a new name, and that is Phasmophobia. Even though this title released in September, it has already climbed the horror game ladder and now is entrenched in the list of must-play horror games — especially during the season of spooks and goblins. Even though Phasmophobia is plenty frightening, its developers are hard at work tweaking the game's scares, and not for the reasons you might think.

Phasmophobia is a co-op PvE ghost hunting experience first and foremost. Up to four players join a lobby, use classic ghost hunting tools such as cameras and ouija boards to gather proof of supernatural activity, and try to make it out of haunted locales with their heads still attached. The more evidence you gather, the more money you make, thus opening up more levels and ways to record proof. The game has no competitive element, so you might assume it is hacker-free, but that is exactly what hackers want you to think, right before they turn the game into a terrifying cheater's paradise.

While cheaters have yet to actually add a competitive mode to Phasmophobia, they are doing everything they can to give players heart attacks before game sessions even begin. Some hackers only increase the number of players who can join a party, while others take pleasure in spiriting hundreds of ghosts into game levels. Even worse, some players have encountered ghostly hands in safe houses. Best case scenario: players receive the fright of their lives in normally ghost-free zones meant for rest, relaxation, and preparation. Worst case scenario: hackers blow out eardrums and crash game clients by spawning far too many croaking ghosts than the game can handle.

Gamers who have run into the more malevolent hackers are understandably annoyed. People play Phasmophobia to be scared silly in haunted locations, not in calming lobbies. While reports differ regarding the prevalence of hackers, Phasmophobia's developers Kinetic Games have responded to the situation nonetheless.

In the announcement section of the official Phasmophobia Discord server, Kinetic Games posted a handy update, stating the studio is "aware that there has been a number of games that have been using third party tools (cheats) to modify the game." While some players have encountered hacks such as spawning multiple ghosts into levels and lobbies (for the sake of balance, levels only feature one ghost at a time), as well as upping the number of players, the post stated hackers also have altered AI ghost behaviour and artificially increased their money and character levels. However, most terrifying of all, Kinetic Games claims that participating in these game sessions can corrupt save files and destabilize game servers. Yes, if you fall victim to a hacked night of Phasmophobia, seeing a ghost pop up in the normally safe lobby could be the least of your concerns.

Kinetic Games also stated it is looking into ways of combating cheaters, but so far the studio has no answers. In the meantime, the company suggests players carefully examine a game and look for telltale signs of hacking. Are there more than four players in a lobby? Are ghosts behaving unusually or teleporting erratically? Does a match feature more than one ghost? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," leave immediately to prevent server destabilization and potential save file corruption.

Moreover, Kinetic Games said players should be wary of anyone claiming to be a developer in a hacked match. "Some [players] have been claiming to be developers with access to tools, " the post warns. "No member of staff will be using such tools in the public branch of the game and all testing is done on private beta and developer branches. Anyone using such cheats are not developers or members of staff." Not only do gamers have to watch out for unscrupulous players who hack Phasmophobia for their own nefarious gains, gamers also have to watch out for liars, as well.

Despite Kinetic Games' warnings and attempts to combat cheaters, installing hacks is still a Google search away. Some hackers have posted tutorials about installing and using mods that alter ghost behavior, unleash countless players into lobbies, and much more.

While Phasmophobia has yet to be ruined by an insurmountable number of hackers, many players are still at the mercy of cheaters. Without any anti-cheat software or countermeasures, hackers can drop in unannounced, spook players in spirit-free havens, and corrupt save files either accidentally or intentionally. Until Kinetic Games figures out a solid method of countering these hacks, players should cross their fingers and keep one eye open for signs of hacking at all times.