penalties Archives

AppWizard

May 12, 2026

Marathon reconsiders bug abuse approach after player uses Cryo Archive exploit to butcher an entire team

Bungie is reviewing its policies regarding player actions that exploit bugs in Marathon following a viral incident where a player used a flaw in the Cryo Archive map to eliminate another team. The company plans to compensate those affected by this incident and will address the bug before reintroducing the map. Bungie has historically not penalized players for going out of bounds but is considering stricter penalties for deliberate exploitation of bugs that negatively impact others. Since the launch of the Cryo Archive map, players have faced numerous issues, prompting ongoing patches and updates.

AppWizard

May 9, 2026

Stellar Blade is the latest Denuvo game that has been cracked

Stellar Blade was cracked by the cracker known as ‘voices38,’ bypassing its Denuvo anti-tamper technology nearly a year after its release by Sony on PC in June 2025. Unlike typical practices, Sony has not removed the game from circulation. The voices38 crack bypasses Denuvo protections without altering the operating system, unlike the HYPERVISOR Bypass, which requires disabling certain Windows security features. Previous Denuvo cracks have allowed the technology to operate in the background. Legitimate owners of Stellar Blade face penalties while pirates access the game freely, raising questions about Denuvo's effectiveness. Other publishers, including Capcom, Square Enix, KRAFTON, NEOWIZ, Gearbox, Bethesda, Bandai Namco, and Warner Bros, have removed Denuvo from several of their titles.

AppWizard

April 28, 2026

EU tells Google to open Android to AI rivals

The European Commission has proposed measures to encourage Google to allow greater access for rival AI services on its Android operating system, aiming to enhance user choice and flexibility. These proposals are part of the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which seeks to promote competition among major tech companies. Google has criticized the measures, expressing concerns about potential increased costs and risks to user privacy and security. The EU is evaluating compliance with these measures, which could lead to further scrutiny if Google does not comply. Violations of the DMA can result in fines up to 10 percent of a company's global turnover. Google is currently facing multiple inquiries under the DMA and has recently been fined 2.95 billion euros in a separate EU competition case.

AppWizard

April 23, 2026

Australian Government Demands to Know What Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, and Steam are Doing to Prevent Grooming, Radicalisation

The Australian Government's eSafety office has requested major gaming platforms, including Roblox, Microsoft, Epic, and Valve, to provide details on their measures to prevent child grooming and extremist content. The eSafety office has issued legally enforceable transparency notices due to concerns that platforms like Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, and Steam may be exploited by predators and extremist groups. Approximately 90% of children aged 8 to 17 in Australia engage with online games, highlighting the need for protective measures. Reports indicate that these platforms have been associated with grooming incidents and extremist themes, including games inspired by the Islamic State and depictions of mass shootings. Non-compliance with the transparency notice could result in penalties of AUD5,000 per day. In response, Roblox has committed to safety initiatives, including AI technology to review content and plans for age-based accounts to enhance user safety.

AppWizard

April 23, 2026

eSafety Commissioner of Australia issues notices to Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite and Steam

Australia's eSafety Commissioner has issued legally enforceable transparency notices to online gaming platforms such as Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, and Steam due to concerns about grooming, sexual extortion, and youth radicalisation. The notices require these platforms to clarify their strategies for identifying, preventing, and responding to online harms, including grooming, cyberbullying, and violent extremism, while aligning with the Australian Government’s Basic Online Safety Expectations. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to A million per incident and daily penalties of up to A,000.

AppWizard

April 22, 2026

Australia probes Roblox and Minecraft over child safety

Australia's eSafety regulator has issued legally enforceable transparency notices to gaming companies, including Microsoft and Roblox, requiring them to detail their measures against sexual exploitation and radicalisation. The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, highlighted that 90% of Australians aged eight to seventeen engage in online gaming, which poses risks such as grooming and radicalisation. Non-compliance with the notices could lead to penalties. Microsoft is reviewing the notice, while Roblox is facing over 140 lawsuits in U.S. federal courts for allegedly facilitating child sexual exploitation. Roblox has reached settlements in Alabama and West Virginia and plans to introduce tailored accounts for younger users.

AppWizard

April 15, 2026

Stuck on a sketchy site? Google is finally putting a stop to it

Google is implementing updated spam policies to combat "back button hijacking," a deceptive practice that manipulates browser history and traps users on unwanted websites. Starting June 15, websites engaging in this practice will face penalties, including manual actions or drops in search rankings. Google has observed an increase in scripts that alter browser history, often through JavaScript, creating misleading entries that redirect users within the same site or to advertisements. Website owners have a two-month period to address these issues, as failure to do so could lead to significant traffic loss. Google's enforcement will begin after the deadline, with automated systems identifying and removing offending sites from search results.

AppWizard

April 11, 2026

Overwatch Season 2 is “modernizing” old heroes, and I’m ready for a Pharmercy revival

The Overwatch Season 2 update will feature significant changes, including the return of the 'Pharmercy' duo with revamped abilities for original heroes. Mercy will receive a Flash Heal ability, enhancing her healing capabilities, while Pharah will gain Drift Thrusters to improve her maneuverability during Barrage. Reaper will have Dire Triggers as a standard ability to better engage distant targets. The post-match experience will be revamped with a new accolades system for player recognition and a shared lobby voice chat during the Play of the Game. Competitive play will see reduced ranking penalties for losses on new or reworked maps, and a system for automatic map selection based on player votes. Blizzard is also considering improvements to the hero bans system for future updates. Overwatch Season 2 is set to launch on April 14, introducing new character Sierra.

AppWizard

April 8, 2026

Dota 2 patch 7.41b puts a stop to Meepo’s reign of terror as Valve locks in its new meta

Dota 2 patch 7.41b introduces several significant changes following the removal of Facets. Key adjustments include a nerf to Meepo, affecting his maximum health and mana bonuses, and increasing the cooldown for Megameepo to 90 seconds. Other notable nerfs target Doom, Tidehunter, and Ember Spirit, with reductions in damage and scaling abilities. Conversely, heroes like Timbersaw, Invoker, Broodmother, and Chaos Knight receive buffs, enhancing their abilities and scaling. Drow Ranger's starting agility has increased, but her Marksmanship ability can now be disabled nearby. Nyx Assassin experiences a reduction in Vendetta's duration but gains immunity from true sight from the Book of the Dead. The full patch notes are available from Valve.

AppWizard

April 4, 2026

Netflix ordered to pay back millions of subscribers in landmark ruling

A court in Rome ruled that Netflix's price hikes from 2017 to 2024 were illegal due to a lack of justified reasons. Long-term subscribers in Italy could receive refunds of up to €500 for Premium plan users and €250 for Standard plan users. Netflix has 90 days to inform affected customers, or it may face daily fines of €700. The ruling stems from a lawsuit by consumer advocacy group Movimento Consumatori, which challenged the price increases. Current prices must revert to previous levels, and Netflix plans to appeal the decision while updating its contract terms for future price increases. The ruling currently applies only in Italy.