A recently discovered PHP exploit, estimated to affect a significant portion of the internet, has forced the permanent closure of two of Japan's oldest mobile games. The vulnerability, which allows for code execution on affected systems, has necessitated emergency maintenance for many web services. However, for older games running on depreciated software, updating to patch the exploit has proven impossible, leading to their immediate and permanent shutdown.
World Quest, a social travel game originally launched on the GREE platform in 2011, was revived in 2020 to allow players virtual travel experiences during COVID-19 border closures. The game utilized open-source online maps to simulate visiting different countries and landmarks. Despite maintaining an active player base since its revival, the service has now abruptly closed. The development team cited an inability to secure customer information due to aging systems, as the game was revived using its original 2011 codebase without subsequent updates.
Japanese players have responded to World Quest's closure with nostalgic reflections on their time with the game and expressions of gratitude to the development team. The game's closure highlights the fragility of older online services when faced with critical security threats.
Similarly, Save My Demonic World, a text-based community RPG, has also been forced to close. Updates to this game had ceased two years prior, rendering its systems incapable of accommodating the necessary fixes for the new vulnerability. The closures serve as a stark reminder that many older websites and services, which are no longer actively maintained or are too old to be updated, are at risk of being permanently lost.
These instances underscore a broader concern that significant portions of internet history could become inaccessible due to such security vulnerabilities and the challenges of maintaining legacy systems. The permanent shutdown of these two mobile games represents a high-profile example of the potential fallout, warning of the historical digital content that may be lost.