apology Archives

AppWizard

May 19, 2025

Minecraft inspired NFL 2025 schedule release removed due to licensing and tasteless joke

The Los Angeles Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts used Minecraft to unveil their 2025 NFL matchups. The Colts' video was taken down due to a licensing conflict with Microsoft, which owns Minecraft. The Colts included a crude joke about Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and an insensitive clip, leading to their apology for exceeding rights with Microsoft. Hill's agent stated that Hill found humor in the situation. The Chargers' video properly credited Microsoft, raising questions about the Colts' adherence to licensing agreements.

AppWizard

May 16, 2025

Tyreek Hill breaks silence over controversial Colts Minecraft schedule video

The Indianapolis Colts released their 2024 schedule through a Minecraft-themed video, which included a scene featuring a pixelated dolphin in a Tyreek Hill jersey being intercepted by a Coast Guard boat. This was interpreted by many as a reference to Hill's past legal issues, leading to negative backlash. The Colts deleted the video and apologized to both Hill and Microsoft for exceeding their licensing rights. They later released a more cautious backup video. Hill humorously responded on social media, suggesting the Colts should have kept the original video up. The incident highlights the need for NFL teams to balance creativity with sensitivity in their content.

AppWizard

May 15, 2025

Chargers’ NFL schedule release Minecraft video dominates while Colts delete their own

The Los Angeles Chargers released a nearly five-minute-long schedule release video that playfully roasted their 2025 opponents using the game Minecraft, having secured permission from Microsoft. In contrast, the Indianapolis Colts deleted their schedule release video after it included an inappropriate clip and exceeded rights granted by Microsoft, leading to an apology to both Microsoft and Tyreek Hill.

AppWizard

April 11, 2025

Zerat Games removes controversial visual novel from Steam

Developer Zerat Games has withdrawn its visual novel from the Steam platform to avoid complications with Valve, while defending the game's themes of incest and sexual violence as fetishes. The studio expressed understanding that some may find these themes disgusting but advocated for the exploration of desires without harm. The game's removal followed actions taken by Valve in the UK, Canada, and Australia, where UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the content as illegal and mentioned new regulatory measures being implemented. Zerat Games aims to promote dialogue on diverse expressions of human sexuality despite societal challenges.

AppWizard

March 2, 2025

Breaking: WhatsApp and Messenger Crash in Multiple Countries, Panic Ensues at Meta

Users of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger experienced significant outages globally, with over 4,000 reports in the U.S. for WhatsApp and more than 10,000 in India. Facebook Messenger had nearly 1,000 error reports in the U.S., while the U.K. saw over 50,000 complaints. Among the reported issues, 70% of users were unable to send messages, 22% faced connection troubles, and 19% experienced general app malfunctions. This incident follows a similar outage in December of the previous year, which garnered over 105,000 complaints for Facebook, 70,000 for Instagram, and 12,000 for WhatsApp. The hashtag #WhatsappDown became popular on social media, with users sharing humorous reactions.

AppWizard

March 1, 2025

WhatsApp down as thousands of app users struggling to send messages

On a Friday afternoon, WhatsApp experienced significant outages affecting at least 68,000 users globally, along with issues on Facebook Messenger, Facebook, and TikTok. The disruptions began around 3:12 PM, primarily impacting users in London, Manchester, and Glasgow. Users reported difficulties sending messages (55%), server connection issues (34%), and problems with the app (11%). Many turned to X (formerly Twitter) to discuss the outage. By 6 PM, WhatsApp confirmed the issue had been resolved. This incident follows previous outages at Meta, including one in December affecting over 100,000 users and another in October 2021 that left billions without access for nearly six hours, resulting in a significant financial loss for Mark Zuckerberg.

AppWizard

February 28, 2025

Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger Down? Users Report Massive Meta Outage

On Friday, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger experienced significant disruptions, resulting in over 4,000 issues reported in the U.S. and 10,000 in India for WhatsApp, while nearly 1,000 complaints were logged for Facebook Messenger in the U.S. The United Kingdom had over 7,500 reports of WhatsApp issues, with major cities like London, Manchester, and Glasgow being heavily affected. Among those reporting problems, 59% could not send messages, 22% faced server connection issues, and 19% experienced app-related difficulties. This incident mirrored a previous outage in December where over 105,000 complaints for Facebook, 70,000 for Instagram, and more than 12,000 for WhatsApp were recorded.

AppWizard

February 28, 2025

N.J. teacher accused of uploading child pornography posed as a teen in chat app, officials say

Matthew Serwedes, a 48-year-old former technology educator from Union County, has been charged with second-degree distribution and third-degree possession of child sexual abuse material. He allegedly posed as a teenager on an encrypted messaging platform to engage with users and had uploaded images of child exploitation. The investigation began with a tip on December 5, 2024, leading authorities to trace videos of sexual abuse to Serwedes' IP address. During a search of his home, electronic devices were confiscated, and he admitted to owning the account used for the activities. Serwedes was placed on administrative leave from his teaching position, and the school district stated there is no evidence of student involvement. He remains in custody awaiting a detention hearing and plans to plead not guilty. Additionally, he wrote a six-page apology letter to the victims and their families.

AppWizard

February 28, 2025

Epic will give Fortnite cheaters ‘a second chance’ with a new, more forgiving ban policy, as long as they didn’t do anything too awful or illegal

Epic Games is implementing a new matchmaking ban policy for Fortnite, effective April, where first-time cheaters will receive a one-year ban, while repeat offenders will face a lifetime ban. The company is also pursuing legal action against Isaac Strock for stealing and selling Fortnite accounts, alleging he accessed accounts through unauthorized means and attempted to deceive player support multiple times. Strock's website previously claimed to sell account information, including sensitive data. Additionally, Epic recently settled a lawsuit with a player who shared his account for a championship, requiring him to return unfairly won prize money and issue a public apology.

AppWizard

February 14, 2025

Don’t worry about missing Elden Ring Nightreign’s network test on PC—nobody could play it on console either

The Elden Ring Nightreign network test features a series of three-hour sessions, concluding on February 17. The first session faced significant connectivity issues, with many players unable to access the game. FromSoftware acknowledged server malfunctions and restarted the servers, but many players still experienced difficulties. Some players reported successful matchmaking, while others struggled. FromSoftware issued an apology for the server issues and is considering an additional test session. The next session is scheduled for 3 AM UK time, with plans to improve server stability.