Between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, Kaspersky recorded more than 19 million instances where users tried to download harmful or potentially unwanted files masquerading as trending Gen Z games. Titles like GTA, Minecraft, and Call of Duty were among the most frequently abused, highlighting how cybercriminals are closely tracking gaming fads to target their victims.
Kaspersky researchers carried out a comprehensive investigation using 20 of the top games favored by Gen Z—ranging from GTA, NBA, and FIFA to The Sims and Genshin Impact—as keyword triggers. The analysis spanned from the second quarter of 2024 through the first quarter of 2025, with March 2025 emerging as the most active month, logging 1,842,370 attempted cyberattacks.
* 
“From open-world blockbusters like GTA to cozy simulators like The Sims, cybercriminals target games across every genre Gen Z loves. What unites them is the audience: Gen Z is the most digitally active generation, leaving behind a rich trail of data, clicks and curiosity. This makes them a prime target — not because they’re careless, but because they’re constantly online, exploring, downloading and sharing,” comments Vasily Kolesnikov, security expert at Kaspersky.
Although GTA V launched more than ten years ago, the Grand Theft Auto series continues to be one of the most heavily targeted by cybercriminals—largely due to its customizable open-world gameplay and highly active online fanbase. Kaspersky identified a total of 4,456,499 attempted cyberattacks involving malicious files disguised as GTA-related content.
With GTA VI slated for release in 2026, security analysts expect a surge in such threats, as attackers are likely to take advantage of the excitement by spreading fake beta invites, early access links, or counterfeit installers.
Minecraft came in second, registering 4,112,493 attack attempts. Its vast library of user-generated mods and consistent popularity among Gen Z players make it a frequent target for threat actors. Following closely were Call of Duty and The Sims, with 2,635,330 and 2,416,443 attempted attacks respectively.
The widespread interest in cracked versions and cheat tools for competitive CoD titles like Modern Warfare III fuels much of the malicious activity. Meanwhile, The Sims community, often on the lookout for mods or leaked expansion packs, may unintentionally download harmful files disguised as custom content.
These attacks can compromise users’ systems with a range of threats—from downloaders that bring in more dangerous software, to trojans capable of stealing login credentials, spying on users, providing remote system access to hackers, or even launching ransomware. A key objective in many of these cases is to hijack gaming accounts, which are then traded or sold on underground forums and dark web marketplaces.