PONOS, the studio behind acclaimed tower defence title The Battle Cats, has announced that its social media channels have been hacked and 100 millions cans of Cat Food have been stolen from a company warehouse.

Writing in a statement on November 19th, the Kyoto-based corporation revealed that it is attempting to establish how a criminal organisation describing itself as The OutCats managed to carry out such an extensive cyberattack.

Meanwhile, The OutCats has published a ransom video on PONOS’ own X, Instagram, and Facebook accounts. 

In the video, which you can watch in full below, the hacking group claims to be made up of disgruntled The Battle Cats rejects whose grievances go back nearly a decade. 

The hackers pledge to give every player who logs in to The Battle Cats 999 cans of Cat Food free of charge – a move that’s likely to play well with the game’s fanbase while infuriating the baffled executives at PONOS headquarters.

First released in 2014 – the same year that The OutCats was formed – The Battle Cats is among the most popular and acclaimed mobile games on the planet, having attracted more than 85 million downloads. You can download it on iOS and Android.

The gameplay involves stepping into the shoes of a battlefield commander and attempting the famously difficult feat of herding cats. 

During the game players encounter a range of different enemies, some of them unremarkable – such as squirrels and porcupines – and others indescribably surreal. 

To defeat this growing menagerie of adversaries, players acquire an ever-expanding army of Battle Cats, each one boasting its own unique strengths and abilities. 

Collecting new Battle Cats requires players to open capsules by spending Cat Food – and thanks to The OutCats, fans will now be able to reinforce their feline armies at double quick time without grinding or reaching into their own pockets. 

You can read PONOS’s full statement on this illicit Cat Food bonanza below. 

19 November 2023 – 3:00PM PST

BREAKING: PONOS announces theft of 100 million Cat Food cans

PONOS Corporation has today launched an independent review of security after it was discovered 100 million Cat Food cans were missing from The Battle Cats warehouse.

A representative of PONOS was contacted this morning by an alleged criminal organisation claiming responsibility. Further investigation revealed more than 100 million Cat Food cans had indeed been stolen by the syndicate, whose demands are yet unknown.

This matter is currently under investigation, but we will provide more information over the coming days as more details come to light.

PONOS Social Media Channels

X: @PONOS_EN

Instagram: @battlecatsofficial

Facebook: The Battle Cats