harassment Archives

AppWizard

June 27, 2025

Republic Games hires Chris Avellone for new RPG project

Chris Avellone has officially joined Republic Games as a narrative designer. The studio is developing a new RPG featuring a rich story with meaningful choices and multiple endings. Studio founder Adam Williams expressed enthusiasm for Avellone's involvement, highlighting his significant contributions to the RPG genre. The game aims to create a dark fantasy experience with immersive gameplay and an interactive narrative. Avellone faced allegations of sexual harassment in 2020, which he has denied.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

Jonathan Joss, who appeared in Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption, shot dead in Texas

Jonathan Joss, a 59-year-old actor known for his roles in video games and as John Redcorn in King of the Hill, was shot multiple times during a confrontation with a neighbor, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, near his former residence, which had burned down earlier this year. Emergency medical services pronounced him dead at the scene. Joss's husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, reported that they had faced over two years of harassment from local residents, including violent homophobic slurs, leading up to the incident. De Gonzales stated that Joss pushed him out of the way during the shooting, saving his life. Joss had previously indicated that the fire that destroyed their home was an accident caused by a barbecue grill, while de Gonzales claimed it was part of ongoing harassment. Joss's career included voice work in various television shows and video games, with notable roles in Red Dead Redemption, Days Gone, Wasteland 3, and Cyberpunk 2077. He was set to reprise his role in a revival of King of the Hill scheduled to premiere on Hulu in August.

AppWizard

May 29, 2025

Ubisoft denies reports that Yves Guillemot has been summoned in upcoming trial

Ubisoft has denied claims that CEO Yves Guillemot was summoned to court in connection with a trial involving former executives, labeling the reports as "unfounded." The rumors originated from the French union Solidaires Informatique, which suggested that Guillemot, HR director Marie Derain, and Ubisoft as a corporate entity had received summonses related to allegations of sexual harassment and bullying against former executives. A Ubisoft representative confirmed via email that neither Guillemot, the HR team, nor the company is involved in the proceedings and stated their commitment to cooperate with authorities during the investigation.

AppWizard

May 24, 2025

Ubisoft CEO Guillemot to be summoned for trial involving former execs

The trial involving three former high-ranking executives at Ubisoft, including Serge Hascoët, Tommy François, and Guillaume Patrux, has been rescheduled to June 2nd due to delayed information from Ubisoft. CEO Yves Guillemot and HR director Marie Derain will testify, though they are not accused of direct involvement in the alleged sexual harassment and bullying. The trial aims to explore Ubisoft's broader responsibility in creating a workplace culture that allowed such behaviors to persist.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Props for the honesty: Tim Sweeney says the reason ‘people characterize the Epic Games launcher as clunky’ is—wait for it—’because the Epic Games launcher is clunky’

Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, described the Epic Games Store launcher as "clunky" and acknowledged that many users find it slow and cumbersome compared to Steam. The Epic launcher received a score of 41% in a recent evaluation, ranking behind competitors like the Microsoft Store and EA, and significantly trailing Steam and GOG Galaxy. Performance issues vary based on a user's proximity to a content delivery network and the size of their game library, with slower internet connections exacerbating loading frustrations. Sweeney believes the Epic launcher should incorporate convenient features from Steam while maintaining its unique advantages. He emphasized the importance of connecting players across platforms and criticized Valve for not allowing cross-platform functionality with Steamworks. Sweeney also addressed negative backlash against developers using Epic Online Services, citing harassment related to crossplay features. Users seeking alternatives to the Epic launcher can consider GOG Galaxy or Heroic, which are noted for better functionality.

AppWizard

May 6, 2025

Everyone is a boat in this ‘MOBA meets Vampire Survivors’ game inspired by a Warcraft 3 mod

The mod Battleships for Warcraft 3 features players controlling upgradable warships that autonomously fire weapons, allowing for strategic gameplay focused on maneuvering and managing cooldowns. Players can engage in harassment tactics and creep farming while their ships handle offensive actions, creating a dynamic environment that encourages tactical decision-making. The mod exemplifies the thriving modding scene and community-driven projects in the gaming industry.

BetaBeacon

May 2, 2025

The retro gaming and emulation community needs to take a deep breath

- The development of Winlator was officially put on pause following harassment due to a Trojan found in the APK file after version 10.0 was released.

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

N.J. sues messaging app Discord for alleged youth endangerment

New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against Discord, alleging that the platform's safety measures for young users are inadequate and misleading. The lawsuit claims that Discord's safety protocols have exposed children to violent content, harassment, and sexual abuse, despite the company's assertions that it provides a "safe space for teens." Key concerns include the platform's ineffective age-verification process, which allows children under 13 to access the app, and the failure of its "Safe Direct Messaging" feature to effectively scan for explicit content. Discord has expressed surprise at the legal action and maintains its commitment to improving safety on the platform.

AppWizard

March 20, 2025

Report: Ubisoft has “anti-harassment plan” for Assassin’s Creed Shadows launch

Ubisoft has implemented an "anti-harassment plan" to protect its developers during the launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows. Employees have been advised not to disclose their affiliation with the company on social media to avoid harassment. A specialized team in Canada is monitoring social media for targeted attacks, and legal representatives are ready to file complaints if harassment occurs. Ubisoft acknowledges the importance of employee safety and provides resources for navigating social media and preventing online harassment.

AppWizard

February 24, 2025

Android App on Google Play Targets Indian Users to Steal Login Credentials

A recently uncovered Android application, Finance Simplified (package: com.someca.count), is a malware platform disguised as a financial management tool for Indian users. It has rapidly gained downloads, increasing from 50,000 to 100,000 in one week. The app uses location-based targeting to present unauthorized loan applications and redirects users to external websites that bypass Google Play’s security. It requests extensive permissions, including access to location data, contacts, call logs, SMS messages, clipboard content, and external storage, and stealthily collects sensitive information like passwords and credit card numbers, which are sent to a command-and-control server on Amazon EC2. The app employs tactics such as dynamic WebView manipulation to present fake loan applications, persistent data harvesting, and blackmail through altered user photos. Finance Simplified is part of a network of fraudulent apps that falsely claim registration with Indian financial regulators and have been removed from the Play Store for fraudulent activities. Users are advised to scrutinize app permissions and avoid downloading unverified applications.