Unauthorized PayPal charges up to €1,300 hit Arknights: Endfield players, sparking refunds and security concerns

A payment error that hit hard and fast

On January 22, 2026, Arknights: Endfield players started finding charges on their PayPal accounts that they never authorized. Some saw small amounts. Others got hit with sums that ran into thousands of euros. User Zeto- reported a single charge of €1,302.08. Another player, ValorsHero, shared screenshots showing multiple transactions in different currencies on the same day — $9.53 USD, 10,000 yen, €33.99, and more.

The timing added pressure for a game that only recently launched. Gacha games live on microtransactions, and trust in payment systems is the foundation of that model. When that trust breaks, the damage goes beyond the immediate refunds.

How Hypergryph and Gryphline responded

The developers moved quickly. The first player report arrived at 9:58 AM (UTC+8). By 11:05 AM, PayPal was disabled as a payment option. A full review of all PayPal transactions was completed by 6:20 PM, and refunds started rolling out at 6:30 PM — all on the same day.

The refund window covered all PayPal orders placed between 9:36:51 AM and 11:05:36 AM (UTC+8) on January 22. The companies promised refunds would arrive within four hours. Players who did not receive their money back were told to contact [email protected] with their region and UID.

This was not Hypergryph’s first payment-related refund. A previous incident led the developer to refund $80,000 and put new safeguards in place.

What the community is saying

Reddit became the main hub for discussion. Hundreds of upvotes and comments piled up on the Arknights: Endfield subreddit as players shared their experiences. The tone was mixed. Some praised Hypergryph for fast communication and action. Others questioned how a bug like this could exist in a live-service game at all.

An unofficial poll on the subreddit tried to measure the fallout. About 65% of respondents said they were satisfied with the refund process. But 30% still had concerns about payment security going forward. The remaining 5% had not heard about the issue. The numbers are not scientific, but they show a community that is relieved yet wary.

What happens now

PayPal remains disabled in Arknights: Endfield. Players who want to make in-game purchases must use other payment methods for now. Those who used PayPal during the affected window should check their accounts and contact support if refunds have not shown up.

The bigger question is about long-term trust. Hypergryph’s quick refunds are a good sign, but the community will watch for real changes to payment security. For a gacha game, confidence in the payment system is not optional. It is the business model itself.

Arknights: Endfield is available on PS5, PC, and mobile. For more guides and news on the game, visit the Arknights: Endfield hub.