Warhammer 40K: Speed Freeks
Cyrex partnered with Caged Element and PLAION to deliver penetration testing and high-scale load testing for Warhammer 40K: Speed Freeks, simulating 100,000 CCU and securing multiplayer systems ahead of launch.
The Challenge
Securing and Scaling a High-Intensity Combat Racer
Warhammer 40K: Speed Freeks blends vehicular combat with fast-paced multiplayer racing inside the Warhammer 40,000 universe. With real-time matchmaking, platform authentication, and backend service integrations, the game required both performance resilience and hardened security before release.
Caged Element and PLAION needed validation across two fronts:
- Scalability — Could the infrastructure support large-scale player concurrency without degrading gameplay?
- Security — Were gameplay systems, authentication flows, and backend integrations resistant to tampering or exploitation?
Given the title’s reliance on PlayFab services, platform authentication (Steam and Xbox), and real-time multiplayer systems, the attack surface extended from engine-level mechanics to external service integrations.
The Cyrex Solution
Penetration Testing & 100,000 CCU Load Simulation
Cyrex conducted a combined engagement covering both load testing and penetration testing to evaluate the title’s resilience under pressure.
High-Scale Load Testing (100,000 CCU Simulation)
As part of the load testing campaign, Cyrex successfully simulated 100,000 concurrent users (CCU) on the PC platform.
The objective was to:
- Stress-test backend services and session management
- Evaluate matchmaking performance under concurrency
- Validate PlayFab service integration stability
- Observe system behavior during sustained multiplayer load
By simulating realistic player behavior at scale, we identified potential bottlenecks and provided optimization guidance prior to launch.
Penetration Testing Across Gameplay & Services
In parallel, Cyrex conducted comprehensive penetration testing targeting critical gameplay and integration systems, including:
- Physics and gameplay logic
- PlayFab integration
- Car customization systems
- Authentication flows (Steam & Xbox)
- Loadout systems
- Ability and skill mechanics
- Chat functionality
- Combat systems
- Matchmaking infrastructure
Our security engineers assessed server-side validation, client interaction logic, and integration points to identify exploit paths that could impact fairness or stability.
Authentication & Platform Security Validation
Given the reliance on Steam and Xbox authentication, Cyrex evaluated:
- Token validation flows
- Platform session handling
- Integration security between game services and third-party platforms
This ensured that cross-platform authentication mechanisms were implemented securely and resistant to misuse.
The Outcome
Validated Scalability & Hardened Multiplayer Systems
- Successful 100,000 CCU load simulation
- Identification and remediation of gameplay and service-level vulnerabilities
- Strengthened authentication and platform integrations
- Increased confidence in matchmaking and multiplayer stability
Client Feedback
Caged Element
“Working with Cyrex on security and load testing for Warhammer 40K: Speed Freeks was a game-changer. Their unparalleled expertise and specialised services raised the bar, equipping us with the insights and confidence needed to address security and scalability challenges with ease.”
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