Valve recommends that users who downloaded PirateFe run a full system scan with anti-virus software and check for auspicious or newly installed software on their PPCs. As a last resort, Valve also recommends that users consider reinstalling Windows to completely rid their system of any potential malware.

Valve is warning users to check for malware or reset their PC PirateFi was taken off Steam just days after it launched Other games are also being infected with malware Valve has started to contact suspected victims that they may have been the subject of a cyberattack just days after removing PirateFi from Steam after discovering it contained suspected malware files.

Valve removed a game from its Steam video game platform and store because it contained malware, according to media reports. In its notice to users who downloaded the game, Valve said affected users may want to “consider fully reformatting your operating system.”

PirateFi, a free-to-play game released last week, has been removed from Valve’s Steam game library because it hosted malicious code. After removing it from the platform, Valve warned all potentially affected users that they might have surreptitiously infected their devices.

The free-to-play game, PirateFi, infects users with malware that steals browser cookies, enabling the malware’s creator to hijack access to various online accounts.

Around 800 people were likely exposed to malware hiding in a free to play survival game found on Steam's marketplace.

This sort of thing is atypical for Steam. The automated systems for game updates can sometimes crash PCs when the updates are problematic, but so far Valve has done a very good job of keeping actual malware out of the Steam store. (Can’t say the same for Apple, Google, or Microsoft .)

Valve has advised anyone who downloaded the game to take immediate action. In a message to affected users, the company recommended running a trusted antivirus scan and inspecting for any unusual or newly installed software.