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If you received an unsolicited request to test an indie game, do not download or run the attached Windows build until you verify the sender independently. Malwarebytes reported on October 8, 2025, that attackers used Discord-style messages and convincing itch.io-style pages to deliver a file named Setup Game.exe. The file behaved like a stealthy loader, launching hidden PowerShell activity and preparing the system for possible follow-on malware.
Seeing a game page is not the same as executing a program. The risks are different at each stage: viewing a page, downloading a file, running it, and entering credentials into a fake login form. This campaign is not evidence that every project on itch.io is malicious, but it is a reminder that a polished game page—or a message from a familiar friend—is not proof of safety.
If you already ran the file
- Disconnect the PC from the internet by disabling Wi-Fi or unplugging Ethernet.
- Do not log in to Discord, email, Steam, banking, or other important services on that computer.
- Use a clean phone or computer to change your email password first, then gaming and other important passwords.
- Enable multifactor authentication, sign out other sessions, and revoke unfamiliar connected apps.
- Run Microsoft Defender’s Full scan and, if compromise is suspected, Microsoft Defender Offline.
If account takeovers continue, security tools are disabled, or sensitive information was on the PC, plan for a clean Windows reinstall or professional incident-response help.
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Malwarebytes’ report describes a campaign, not proof that every similar download in 2026 uses the same code. Treat the steps above as a precaution whenever an unsolicited game installer has been executed.
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How the “test my game” scam works
The lure is designed to feel like a normal request from a gaming community:
- You receive a DM from a friend, an unfamiliar developer, streamer, or gaming contact.
- The sender asks you to play, test, or review an alleged indie game.
- A link opens an attractive game page imitating the look and feel of itch.io, or redirects to another hosting service.
- You download a Windows executable presented as an installer or playable build.
- The executable silently launches scripting and system-level activity instead of showing a normal installer or game.
- The compromised account may send the same request to its contacts, making the campaign look more trustworthy.
The familiar-sender angle is important. A friend’s Discord account may already be compromised, so the message can be malicious even when the profile, avatar, and username look genuine. Confirm the request through a separate, known-good channel before opening the link.
What Malwarebytes observed
In the reported case, Malwarebytes connected the lure with an impersonated project called Archimoulin. The legitimate project was identified as nicolasduboc.itch.io/archimoulin. The suspicious download was named Setup Game.exe.
The executable did not present the normal signs of an installer, such as a progress bar, setup wizard, or game window. Instead, the report observed this broad attack chain:
DM from a friend or stranger
↓
Fake itch.io-style page or suspicious hosting link
↓
Download: Setup Game.exe
↓
Hidden PowerShell command
↓
In-memory script and helper compilation
↓
Browser termination and environment checks
↓
Potential follow-on payloadEncoded PowerShell
The file started PowerShell with an -EncodedCommand argument. Encoding conceals a command from casual inspection; it does not make the command legitimate or secure.
Code running in memory
The decoded script ran code directly in memory. This can reduce obvious disk artifacts and make analysis harder, but “in-memory” or “fileless” should not be interpreted as “undetectable.” The overall chain also created temporary files and extracted additional components.
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Elevation and helper compilation
The observed script hid the PowerShell window, attempted to relaunch itself with the runAs verb for administrator rights, and compiled a helper using csc.exe. Malwarebytes also referenced temporary artifacts resembling %TEMP%xlfvhkx3... and files named like RES*.tmp.
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Node.js extraction
The sample unpacked a Node.js runtime and native modules into a path resembling:
C:Users<username>.cachepkg...That directory alone does not prove infection. Legitimate applications can use cache folders. It becomes a stronger clue when it appears immediately after running an unsolicited game installer alongside hidden PowerShell, browser termination, or other unusual activity.
Browser termination and system checks
The sample used taskkill to close Chrome, Brave, Firefox, Edge, and Opera. It also queried system, registry, BIOS, network, and session information. Malwarebytes said its sandbox did not observe immediate command-and-control traffic and that the sample appeared to wait for conditions suggesting it was running on a real user machine.
That is an observation of the tested sample, not a universal description of every file in the campaign. Delayed activity does not mean the computer is safe.
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No broad conclusion that itch.io is “the malware” follows from this report. Itch.io is an open self-publishing and file-hosting platform, so users upload projects and files from many different creators. A legitimate page can still contain an unsafe user-uploaded executable, and a scammer can imitate the platform outside the official domain.
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Malwarebytes described lookalike pages hosted through Blogspot subdomains and links to cloud storage. Itch.io’s own warning about “try my game” scams also advises users to avoid untrusted executables and notes that no automated checking system is perfect.
There is a meaningful difference between:
- Viewing a normal web page: generally not equivalent to running downloaded software.
- Downloading an executable: creates a file that still requires user execution, but should be treated as untrusted.
- Running the executable: can give it the ability to launch scripts, access files, alter settings, and communicate over the network.
- Entering credentials into a fake login page: can expose an account even if you never run the downloaded game.
Itch.io says browser-based HTML5 games are sandboxed by the browser by default. That reduces exposure to the specific Windows-executable scenario here, but it does not eliminate phishing, malicious browser extensions, browser vulnerabilities, or fake sign-in forms.
What could the loader lead to?
Malwarebytes characterized the file as a stager or loader. Such a component prepares the machine for later malware, potentially including backdoors, keyloggers, or coinminers. The report does not establish that every sample delivered the same final payload, nor does it prove that every victim lost passwords, cookies, payment information, or cryptocurrency.
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Red flags before you download
Message and sender
- An unsolicited request to test or review a game.
- A friend’s unusual wording, timing, or urgency.
- Pressure to run the file immediately.
- A request to disable antivirus or dismiss a Windows warning.
- A private-build explanation that does not include a credible developer identity or established distribution channel.
Creator and page
- A newly created creator profile with no meaningful development history.
- No devlogs, changelogs, comments, older projects, or external footprint.
- Mismatched game title, artwork, developer name, or outbound links.
- A lookalike domain, redirect, link shortener, Blogspot page, or unfamiliar file host.
- A fake Discord sign-in form.
- A Windows executable offered when a browser playtest would be plausible.
File
- Generic names such as
Setup Game.exe,GameLauncher.exe, orPlaytest_Build.exe. - A password-protected ZIP or RAR that prevents ordinary inspection.
- A request to disable Windows Security before launching.
- No clear build notes, system requirements, version number, or installation instructions.
These are defensive warning signs, not proof that every new indie developer or direct-download build is malicious. A legitimate prototype may have a new account, few comments, or a false-positive antivirus alert. Confidence should come from several checks together.
How to verify a legitimate playtest request
- Do not use the DM link as your only source. Find the developer’s official website or established social account independently.
- Confirm the message out of band. Ask the sender by voice, email, or another known-good account whether they sent the request.
- Inspect the real domain. Look for misspellings, redirects, unrelated hosts, and sign-in pages that do not belong to the service they imitate.
- Check the project history. Look for older releases, devlogs, community activity, and consistent creator links.
- Prefer safer distribution. Use browser playtests or established distribution channels when practical.
- Never disable security software to make a build work. A developer should be able to explain a suspected false positive without asking you to remove your protection.
- Do not run an executable just because the page looks professional. Branding is easy to copy.
If you downloaded the file but did not run it
- Do not open it, preview it through an unfamiliar tool, or send it to someone else.
- If investigation or evidence preservation is not needed, delete the download and empty the Recycle Bin.
- Update Microsoft Defender’s security intelligence.
- Run a Full scan in Windows Security. Microsoft’s guidance also recommends Microsoft Defender Offline when unwanted software persists or deeper scanning is needed.
- If you clicked a fake sign-in page or entered credentials, change those credentials from a clean device and enable MFA.
If the file was executed—or you are unsure whether it ran—use the executed-file response below instead of assuming deletion solved the problem.
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If you executed the file: prioritized recovery
1. Contain the computer
Disconnect Wi-Fi or unplug Ethernet. Do not continue signing in to important accounts on the affected PC. Avoid deleting everything immediately if you may need evidence for an employer, professional responder, platform report, or law-enforcement investigation.
2. Secure accounts from a clean device
Start with the email account because it can reset other services. Then change passwords for Discord, Steam, Microsoft, Google, Apple, payment services, and any account whose password was stored or used in the browser. Use unique passwords rather than variations of the old one.
Enable MFA, sign out other sessions, and revoke unknown authorized applications, OAuth grants, API keys, and connected devices. For Discord, its official recovery guidance includes resetting the password, enabling MFA, and reviewing User Settings → Authorized Apps to remove unfamiliar applications.
Tell friends and servers that your account may have sent malicious links. Check payment activity and contact the financial institution promptly if you see unauthorized charges.
3. Scan and investigate
After updating Defender, run a Full scan and then Microsoft Defender Offline if compromise is suspected or the malware persists. A reputable second-opinion scanner, including Malwarebytes, can provide another detection signal.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsReview startup items, scheduled tasks, browser extensions, recently installed applications, and unfamiliar administrator accounts. Browser closures, unexplained PowerShell activity, repeated security-tool tampering, and unknown network connections warrant professional help.
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A clean scan is useful, but it cannot prove that credentials or session tokens were not copied before detection.
4. Reinstall when confidence is not possible
Choose a clean Windows reinstall or qualified incident-response assistance when account takeovers continue, security tools are repeatedly disabled, persistence is visible, sensitive business or financial data was present, cryptocurrency was stored on the machine, or you cannot determine what the executable did. Back up only necessary personal files, and scan those backups before restoring them.
Historical indicators of compromise
Malwarebytes listed the following domains as campaign indicators. They are defanged historical IOCs, not a complete or necessarily current list. Do not visit them:
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cakewind[.]blogspot.com
carnagev1[.]blogspot.com
kelarigame[.]blogspot.com
klorigame[.]blogspot.com
meraliagame[.]blogspot.com
ravielchy[.]blogspot.com
ravielchygame[.]blogspot.com
tamunagame[.]blogspot.com
veriliagame[.]blogspot.comOther reported clues include Setup Game.exe, -EncodedCommand, runAs, csc.exe, taskkill, Node.js components under C:Users<username>.cachepkg..., and temporary paths resembling %TEMP%xlfvhkx3.... None of these artifacts alone proves infection.
Security tools: what helps and what does not
Start with protections already available on Windows. Microsoft recommends updating security intelligence and using Full and Offline scans. Those steps cost nothing extra on supported Windows installations.
Malwarebytes Premium Security is an optional paid second-opinion or ongoing-protection tool, and Malwarebytes recommends a full scan in its campaign guidance. It is not a substitute for disconnecting a suspect computer, changing credentials from a clean device, revoking sessions, or reinstalling Windows when persistence is suspected.
Services such as VirusTotal can provide an additional file or URL signal, but do not upload private documents, proprietary builds, personal files, or other sensitive material to a public analysis service without understanding its sharing implications. A clean result is not a guarantee of safety.
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Legitimate developers can reduce confusion by using an established creator identity, linking to a verifiable website or social profile, providing build notes and system requirements, and explaining exactly what feedback they need. They should not ask testers to disable antivirus or ignore security warnings.
When possible, offer a browser-based build or an established distribution channel, and confirm invitations independently when a tester asks. Clear versioning, a visible project history, and a non-urgent request make it easier for players to distinguish a real playtest from a malware lure.
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