<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> <!-- Parent-Version:1.791.96 --> <!--#set var="DISABLE_TOP_ADDENDUM" value="yes" --> <!-- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please do not edit <ul class="blurbs">! Instead, edit /proprietary/workshop/mal.rec, then regenerate pages. See explanations in /proprietary/workshop/README.md. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --> <title>Malware in Games - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/side-menu.css" media="screen,print" /> <!--#include virtual="/proprietary/po/malware-games.translist" --> <!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" --> <div class="nav"> <a id="side-menu-button" class="switch" href="#navlinks"> <img id="side-menu-icon" height="32" src="/graphics/icons/side-menu.png" title="Section contents" alt=" [Section contents] " /> </a> <p class="breadcrumb"> <a href="/"><img src="/graphics/icons/home.png" height="24" alt="GNU Home" title="GNU Home" /></a> / <a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">Malware</a> / By product / </p> </div> <!--GNUN: OUT-OF-DATE NOTICE--> <!--#if expr="$OUTDATED_SINCE" --><!--#else --> <!--#if expr="$LANGUAGE_SUFFIX" --> <!--#set var="DISABLE_TOP_ADDENDUM" value="no" --> <!--#include virtual="/server/top-addendum.html" --> <!--#endif --> <!--#endif --> <div style="clear: both"></div> <div id="last-div" class="reduced-width"> <h2>Malware in Games</h2><p><a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">Other examples of proprietary malware</a></p><divclass="highlight-para"> <p> <em>Malware</em> meansclass="infobox"> <hr class="full-width" /> <p>Nonfree (proprietary) softwaredesignedis very often malware (designed tofunction in ways thatmistreator harmtheuser. (This does not include accidental errors.) </p> <p> Malware and nonfreeuser). Nonfree software is controlled by its developers, which puts them in a position of power over the users; <a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">that is the basic injustice</a>. The developers and manufacturers often exercise that power to the detriment of the users they ought to serve.</p> <p>This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities.</p> <hr class="full-width" /> </div> <div class="article"> <p>Among the numerous malicious functionalities that are found in games, <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html#addictiveness"> addictiveness</a> may be the worst, because it doesn't only affect users materially, but also psychologically.</p> <div class="important"> <p>If you know of an example that ought to be in this page but isn't here, please write to <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a> to inform us. Please include the URL of a trustworthy reference or twodifferent issues.to serve as specific substantiation.</p> </div> <div class="column-limit" id="malware-games"></div> <ul class="blurbs"> <li id="M202010221"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-10</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Microsoft is imposing its surveillance on the game of Minecraft by <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/22/21527647/minecraft-microsoft-account-mojang-java">requiring every player to open an account on Microsoft's network</a>. Microsoft has bought the game and will merge all accounts into its network, which will give them access to people's data.</p> <p>Minecraft players <a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Minetest">can play Minetest</a> instead. Thedifference betweenessential advantage of Minetest is that it is free software, meaning it respects the user's computer freedom. As a bonus, it offers more options.</p> </li> <li id="M202010220"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-10</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>The addictive Genshin Impact relentlessly <ahref="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free software</a>href="https://www.theguardian.com/games/2020/oct/22/genshin-impact-video-game-slowly-taking-over-the-world">coerces players to spend money by overwhelming the game play with loot boxes</a>.</p> </li> <li id="M202010210"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-10</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>As of 2019-2020, Minecraft players are <a href="https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/java-edition-moving-house">being forced to move to Microsoft servers</a>, which results in privacy violation. Microsoft publishes a program so users can run their own server, but the program is proprietary andnonfreeit's another <a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">injustice to users</a>.</p> <p>People can play <a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Minetest">Minetest</a> instead. Minetest is free software and respects the user's computer freedom.</p> </li> <li id="M202004150"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-04</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Riot Games' new anti-cheat isinmalware; <ahref="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html"> whetherhref="https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/309320-riot-games-new-anti-cheat-system-runs-at-system-boot-uses-kernel-driver">runs on system boot at kernel level</a> on Windows. It is insecure software that increases the attack surface of the operating system.</p> </li> <li id="M202003110"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-03</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Roblox (among many other games) created anti-features which sucker children into <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/mar/11/my-kids-spent-600-on-their-ipads-without-my-knowledge"> utilizing third-party payment services without authorization.</a></p> </li> <li id="M201908210"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-08</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Microsoft recorded users of Xboxes and had <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/43kv4q/microsoft-human-contractors-listened-to-xbox-owners-homes-kinect-cortana"> human workers listen to the recordings</a>.</p> <p>Morally, we see no difference between having human workers listen and having speech-recognition systems listen. Both intrude on privacy.</p> </li> <li id="M201907090"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-07</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Resourceful children figured out how to <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-48908766"> empty their parents' bank account</a> buying packs of special players for an Electronic Arts soccer game.</p> <p>The random element of these packs (also called “loot boxes”) makes the game <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions#addictiveness"> strongly addictive</a>, but the fact that players are pressured to spend more in order to get ahead of their competitors further qualifies it as <em>predatory</em>. Note that Belgium <a href="https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2019/01/29/fifa-ultimate-team-packs-blocked-in-belgium/"> made these loot boxes illegal</a> in 2018.</p> <p>The only good reason to havecontrola copy of such a proprietary game is to study it for free software development.</p> </li> <li id="M201809210"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-09</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Clash of Clans is a good example of a gratis mobile game that its developers <a href="https://gamerant.com/clash-of-clans-addiction/"> made very addictive</a> for a large proportion of its users—and turned into a cash machine for themselves—by using <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html#addictiveness"> psychological manipulation techniques</a>.</p> <p><small>(The article uses “free” to mean “zero price,” which is a usage we should avoid. We recommend saying “gratis” instead.)</small></p> </li> <li id="M201807310"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-07</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>A nonfree video game, available through the nonfree Steam client, <a href="https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/274552-great-now-games-are-hijacking-systems-with-"> included a “miner”</a>, i.e. an executable that hijacks the CPU in users' computers to mine a cryptocurrency.</p> </li> <li id="M201806250"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-06</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>The game Metal Gear Rising for MacOS was tethered to a server. The company <a href="http://www.gamerevolution.com/news/400087-metal-gear-rising-mac-unplayable-drm"> shut down the server, and all copies stopped working</a>.</p> </li> <li id="M201806240"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-06</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Red Shell is a spyware that is found in many proprietary games. It <a href="https://nebulous.cloud/threads/red-shell-illegal-spyware-for-steam-games.31924/"> tracks data on users' computers and sends it to third parties</a>.</p> </li> <li id="M201804144"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-04</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>ArenaNet surreptitiously installed a spyware programor vice versa</a>. It'salong with an update to the massive multiplayer game Guild Wars 2. The spyware allowed ArenaNet <a href="https://techraptor.net/content/arenanet-used-spyware-anti-cheat-for-guild-wars-2-banwave"> to snoop on all open processes running on its user's computer</a>.</p> </li> <li id="M201712060"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-12</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Learn how <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170319013045/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-farrell/the-fascinating-psycholog_b_6076502.html"> gratis-to-play-and-not-win-much games manipulate their useds psychologically</a>.</p> <p>These manipulative behaviors are malicious functionalities, and they are possible because the game is proprietary. If it were free, people could publish a non-manipulative version and play that instead.</p> </li> <li id="M201711070"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-11</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>The driver for a certain gaming keyboard <a href="https://thehackernews.com/2017/11/mantistek-keyboard-keylogger.html">sends information to China</a>.</p> </li> <li id="M201612290"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-12</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>In the game Fruit Pop, the player buys boosts with coins to get a high score. The player gets coins at the end of each game, and can buy more coins with real money.</p> <p>Getting a higher score once leads the player to desire higher score again later. But the higher score resulting from the boost <a href="https://qz.com/873348/50000-coins-for-1-99-how-mobile-game-in-app-purchases-are-warping-kids-understanding-of-basic-economic-ideas/">does not give the player more coins, and does notdirectlyhelp the player get a higher score in subsequent games</a>. To get that, the player will need a boost frequently, and usually has to pay real money for that. Since boosts are exciting and entertaining, the player is subtly pushed to purchase more coins with real money to get boosts, and it can develop into a costly habit.</p> </li> <li id="M201611070"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-11</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>nVidia's proprietary GeForce Experience <a href="http://www.gamersnexus.net/industry/2672-geforce-experience-data-transfer-analysis">makes users identify themselves and then sends personal data about them to nVidia servers</a>.</p> </li> <li id="M201609240"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-09</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>A Capcom's Street Fighter V update <a href="https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/23/capcom_street_fighter_v/"> installed aquestiondriver that could be used as a back door by any application installed on a Windows computer</a>, but was <a href="https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/09/24/street-fighter-v-removes-new-anti-crack"> immediately rolled back</a> in response to public outcry.</p> </li> <li id="M201605200"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-05</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Oculus Rift games now have <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/vv77ea/new-oculus-drm-cross-platform"> DRM meant to prevent running them on other systems</a>.</p> </li> <li id="M201604040"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-04</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Many popular mobile games include a random-reward system called <a href="#gacha"><i>gacha</i></a> which is especially effective on children. One variant ofwhat the program <em>does</em> when it runs. However,gacha was declared illegal inpractice nonfree software is often malware, because the developer's awareness that the users would be powerless to fix any malicious functionalities temptsJapan in 2012, but thedeveloper to impose some. </p> </div> <p>Hereother variants areexamplesstill <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2016/04/04/japanese-mobile-gaming-still-cant-shake-off-the-spectre-of-exploitation/"> luring players into compulsively spending</a> inordinate amounts ofmalware in games.</p> <ul> <li><p>nVidia's proprietary GeForce Experiencemoney on virtual toys.</p> </li> <li id="M201512290"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-12</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Many <ahref="http://www.gamersnexus.net/industry/2672-geforce-experience-data-transfer-analysis">makeshref="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/12/29/how-much-data-are-video-games-collecting-about-you.html/"> video game consoles snoop on their usersidentify themselvesandthen sends personal data about themreport tonVidia servers</a>.</p>the internet</a>—even what their users weigh.</p> <p>A game console is a computer, and you can't trust a computer with a nonfree operating system.</p> </li><li><p>Modern<li id="M201509160"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-09</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Modern gratis game cr…apps <a href="http://toucharcade.com/2015/09/16/we-own-you-confessions-of-a-free-to-play-producer/"> collect a wide range of data about their users and their users' friends and associates</a>.</p> <p>Even nastier, they do it through ad networks that merge the data collected by various cr…apps and sites made by different companies.</p> <p>They use this data to manipulate people to buy things, and hunt for “whales” who can be led to spend a lot of money. They also use a back door to manipulate the game play for specific players.</p> <p>While the article describes gratis games, games that cost money can use the same tactics.</p> </li><li> <p>Oculus Rift games now have<li id="M201507290"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-07</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Game Of War: Fire Age is an iPhone game with <ahref="http://motherboard.vice.com/read/new-oculus-drm-cross-platform"> DRM meant to prevent running themhref="http://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-1762-5-reasons-i-lost-249000-iphone-game.html"> addictive features</a> which are based onother systems</a>.</p><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html#addictiveness">behavioral manipulation techniques</a>, compounded with group emulation. After a fairly easy start, the game slows down and becomes more difficult, so gamers are led to spend more and more money in order to keep up with their group. And if they stop playing for a while, the equipment they invested in gets destroyed by the “enemy” unless they buy an expensive “shield” to protect it. This game is also deceptive, as it uses confusing menus and complex stats to obfuscate true monetary costs.</p> </li><li> <p>Some proprietary<li id="M201504210"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-04</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Runescape is a popular online game with some <ahref="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/19/apple-talking-cats-in-app-purchases"> games lurehref="https://www.reddit.com/r/runescape/comments/33cd8g/question_why_is_runescape_so_addicting/"> addictive features</a> derived from <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html#addictiveness"> behavioral manipulation techniques</a>. Certain repetitive aspects of the game, like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grinding_(video_games)"> grinding</a>, can be minimised by becoming a paying member, and can thus encourage children and impressionable people to spendtheir parents' money</a>. </p>money on the game.</p> </li> <li id="M201410130"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-10</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p><a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/10/nintendo-updates-take-wii-u-hostage-until-you-agree-new-legal-terms">Nintendo remotely sabotaged all Wiis, making them refuse to work unless the user agrees to a new EULA</a>.</p> <p>We can be quite sure this EULA is unjust because injustice is the only motive for imposing an EULA.</p> </li><li><p>Angry<li id="M201401280"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-01</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Angry Birds <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/28/world/spy-agencies-scour-phone-apps-for-personal-data.html"> spies for companies, and the NSA takes advantage to spy through it too</a>. Here's information on <a href="http://confabulator.blogspot.com/2012/11/analysis-of-what-information-angry.html"> more spyware apps</a>.</p> <p><ahref="http://www.propublica.org/article/spy-agencies-probe-angry-birds-and-other-apps-for-personal-data">href="https://www.propublica.org/article/spy-agencies-probe-angry-birds-and-other-apps-for-personal-data"> More about NSA app spying</a>.</p> </li></ul> </div><!--<li id="M201401190"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-01</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Some proprietary <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/19/apple-talking-cats-in-app-purchases"> games lure children to spend their parents' money</a>.</p> </li> <li id="M201105070"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2011-05</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p><a href="https://www.defectivebydesign.org/sony">The Playstation 3 is a tyrant</a>.</p> </li> <li id="M201003300"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2010-03</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Sony <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/03/sony-steals-feature-from-your-playstation-3">sabotaged the Playstation 3</a> with a firmware downgrade that removed the feature that allowed users to run GNU/Linux on it.</p> <p>Sony subsequently sent police after Geohot, after he cracked the code that blocked users from changing the firmware, and we responded by calling for a <a href="http://boycottsony.org">boycott of Sony</a>.</p> <p>In a court settlement Sony is <a href="http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/06/if-you-used-to-run-linux-on-your-ps3-you-could-get-55-from-sony/"> now paying forid="content", starts intheinclude abovesabotage</a>.</p> </li> <li id="M200510200"> <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2005-10</small>' --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --> <p>Blizzard Warden is a hidden “cheating-prevention” program that <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2005/10/new-gaming-feature-spyware"> spies on every process running on a gamer's computer and sniffs a good deal of personal data</a>, including lots of activities which have nothing to do with cheating.</p> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <!--#include virtual="/proprietary/proprietary-menu.html" --> <!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" --> <divid="footer">id="footer" role="contentinfo"> <div class="unprintable"> <p>Please send general FSF & GNU inquiries to <a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. 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