ethical questions Archives

AppWizard

August 7, 2025

Games that try to sneak bots into multiplayer matches are automatically trash

Morgan Park discusses the controversial presence of bots in multiplayer gaming and their impact on player experience and game integrity. In titles like Fortnite, an analysis showed that up to 90% of players in a typical lobby could be bots, leading to a false sense of security for seasoned players. In NetEase’s Marvel Rivals, players report being matched with bot-filled games after losing two consecutive matches, which undermines competition and misleads players about their skills. Some publishers exploit bots for dubious purposes, while others, like Rainbow Six Siege and Call of Duty, label bots and restrict their use to practice modes, promoting transparency and maintaining competitive integrity. The gaming community is encouraged to share experiences regarding the presence of bots.

AppWizard

July 20, 2025

The game where you build a symbiotic village on the back of a giant monster is finally done

The Wandering Village has launched its 1.0 release, featuring an animated trailer that showcases life in a toxic world. The game, developed by Stray Fawn, has been in development for five years and entered early access in 2022. Players build their village on the back of a six-legged creature named Onbu, with options to befriend, worship, or exploit it, raising ethical questions. Stray Fawn plans to release a 1.1 "Quality of Life/UX" update and a 1.2 "Onbu Update" to enhance player interactions. The game is available on Steam and at thewanderingvillage.com.

AppWizard

July 15, 2025

How does your phone know so many private details? How thousands of apps are exploiting mysterious indoor location tracking

In 2023, a family at an amusement park experienced technology's impact on privacy when the park's app used geolocation to notify a waiting parent about fast-track entry. Spanish researchers investigated how apps exploit Bluetooth and Wi-Fi permissions to track users indoors, even without GPS. Their findings, to be presented at the Pets privacy conference, reveal that 86% of 9,976 analyzed Android apps collect sensitive data, including location coordinates. The study highlights ethical concerns regarding data sharing and potential misuse, as information can track individuals' movements and identify sensitive activities. Many apps use software development kits (SDKs) that include hidden location tracking features, with 52 SDKs identified in nearly 10,000 apps installed on around 55 billion devices. The Android Advertising ID allows companies to track users and create detailed profiles based on location data, raising ethical dilemmas about privacy and the commodification of personal information.

AppWizard

April 26, 2025

Oblivion Remastered hit 4 million players in less than a week, with a big chunk of them buying the game on Steam

Bethesda has announced that over four million players have engaged with the remaster of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. The remaster has achieved nearly 200,000 concurrent players on Steam, ranking it at the top of Steam's best-sellers list and second on the SteamDB best-selling tracker. The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) National Committee has called for a boycott of Xbox products due to Microsoft's provision of cloud and AI services to the Israeli military.

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

Women in Games and UK tech secretary call out Valve over sexual violence game on Steam

Dr. Marie-Claire Isaaman, CEO of Women in Games, has urged Valve to take action against a game on Steam that has been criticized for its disturbing themes, including incest and sexual violence. The game reportedly encourages players to "claim" their mother after an affair and contains graphic depictions of sexual activities, along with mentions of incest, blackmail, and non-consensual sex. Isaaman expressed that the game promotes themes of rape and misogynistic violence, contributing to the dehumanization of women and girls. She called for the game's removal and stronger content moderation policies from Valve. UK tech secretary Peter Kyle also stated that he expects Valve to remove the controversial title in accordance with legal requirements.

AppWizard

March 23, 2025

Meta Continues to Integrate AI Bot Profiles into its Apps

Meta is integrating AI-powered profiles into its social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. Messenger has launched an “AI Studio” for users to create and manage their own AI personas for conversations. WhatsApp is also introducing an AI Studio for user interaction with AI bots. Instagram is enhancing this trend with AI options in its “Create” tools, allowing real-time character creation and customization. Meta plans to introduce millions of AI profiles that mimic real users, complete with bios and the ability to post and comment, which raises concerns about user awareness and potential psychological impacts. The integration of AI bots may influence engagement metrics and app usage while also raising ethical questions about social interaction. There are concerns about the mental health implications of social media use, especially in light of rising AI-generated misinformation. The competitive pressure for innovation in AI development is influencing the approach taken by social media companies.

AppWizard

March 9, 2025

7 PC gaming scandals you forgot about

Batman: Arkham Knight was pulled from sale within 24 hours of its PC launch due to severe performance issues, leading to a 'Very Positive' rating on Steam after months of fixes. Kerbal Space Program 2, developed by Intercept Games, has received overwhelmingly negative reviews since its early access launch in 2023, raising ethical questions about its availability. Newegg sold a faulty motherboard to Gamers Nexus and refused a refund, leading to a series of videos and a meeting between the two parties. 38 Studios, founded by Curt Schilling, secured a million loan from Rhode Island but filed for bankruptcy after failing to deliver on its MMO project, Project Copernicus, following the underwhelming performance of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. iBUYPOWER was involved in a match-fixing scandal during a 2014 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive match, resulting in Valve taking action against the players. Cyberpunk 2077's launch was plagued by bugs and performance issues, particularly on last-gen consoles, despite high expectations. Blood II: The Chosen was launched prematurely by GT Interactive, leading to a damaged reputation and the abandonment of the franchise.

AppWizard

August 9, 2024

PC gaming has a problem: A plague of terrible patches

Players expect updates and patches in PC gaming, especially for early access titles, as developers adopt "live services." While many updates provide quality-of-life improvements, some poorly designed updates can negatively impact gameplay. Successful updates can enhance player engagement, as seen in games like The Lord of the Rings Online and Elder Scrolls Online, which have effectively incorporated community feedback. Titles like No Man’s Sky and Fallout 76 have transformed from lackluster to engaging through significant updates. However, not all updates are beneficial; for instance, Battlefield V's Patch 5.2 introduced changes that detracted from gameplay. There is a call for developers to reassess the nature and frequency of updates, as excessive updates can overwhelm players and create challenging working conditions for developers. Reducing update frequency may improve the gaming experience and allow developers to work sustainably.

Winsage

May 21, 2024

“I was forced to hire legal counsel,” actress Scarlett Johansson responds after Microsoft partner OpenAI ‘clones’ her voice for ChatGPT

OpenAI showcased new AI tools with a voice resembling Scarlett Johansson's, leading to legal concerns. Johansson confirmed OpenAI approached her to use her voice. OpenAI's partnership with Microsoft focuses on developing advanced language models. Johansson's statement has sparked debates on AI voice replication and individual rights. OpenAI released an explanation of their voice selection process amid legal scrutiny.