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scandals and controversies Latest news (7)

Star Citizen Ads Were Misleading? Player Reported Them to ASA

Damian Gacek, 05 September 2021, 18:11

Star Citizen certainly stirs many emotions - from admiration to irritation and even indignation. This time, one of the fans decided that he's had enough of the game's opaque advertising policy and decided to do something about it.

GTA Underground Mod Disappear After 6 Years of Work Due to T2's 'Increasing Hostility'

Agnes Adamus, 05 September 2021, 17:38

The creators of the GTA Underground mod have decided to suspend work on it. All this is due to Take-Two's „ increasing hostility” towards the modding community and fear for their own mental and financial well-being. Thus ends the six-year history of the project.

Creators of re3 Mod for GTA 3 Sued by Take-Two Interactive

Adrian Werner, 03 September 2021, 11:32

The creators of the re3 and reVC mods for GTA 3 and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City have been sued by Take-Two. It is speculated that the publisher is quietly working on its own remasters of these games.

Hidden Changes in SSDs: Samsung and WD Swap Parts for Weaker Ones

Jacob Blazewicz, 30 August 2021, 18:14

A disturbing trend has been noticed in the SSD market. Journalists report changes in the drives manufactured by, among others, Samsung and WD, in which parts have been discreetly changed (often for cheaper ones).

Names of Selected Blizzard Devs Will be Removed From World of Warcraft

Iltutmis, 28 August 2021, 20:54

Yesterday, the team responsible for Overwatch announced that McCree, a character named after one of the developers, will be renamed. Today, another team from under Blizzard's wings continues the changes. Some familiar names will disappear from World of Warcraft.

Blizzard to Rename McCree in the Wake of Recent Scandal

Adrian Werner, 27 August 2021, 14:34

Blizzard is going to rename of the character known as McCree in Overwatch. The reason is that this character was named after a developer who was recently fired for unprofessional behavior.

Kinguin Removes Fake Frostpunk 2 Preorders and Issues a Statement

GRG, 26 August 2021, 14:04

Kinguin has finally removed the ability to place preorders for Frostpunk 2 keys after a decisive intervention from 11 bit studios.

Activision Blizzard Accused of Destroying Incriminating Documents

Adrian Werner, 25 August 2021, 12:01

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing is accusing Activision Blizzard of destroying documents related to instances of harassment and mobbing at the company.

Abandoned for Free as Compensation for Buyers of Blue Box's Unreleased Game

Jacob Blazewicz, 18 August 2021, 22:56

Hasan Kahraman from Blue Box Game addressed the recent controversy surrounding Abandoned. The creator also promised that the game will be available for free - as long as we bought the (yet) unreleased The Haunting: Blood Water Curse.

EA Apologizes for Removing Older Games From GOG

Michael Kulakowski, 18 August 2021, 21:56

Following protests from gamers over the pulling of classic Electronic Arts hits such as Ultima Underworld 1 2, Syndicate Plus and Syndicate Wars from sale, the publisher has apologized for the situation and promised to change its policy on old titles.

Abandoned App on PS5 Trolls Gamers

Agnes Adamus, 14 August 2021, 20:19

Yesterday, an app related to Abandoned was released on PS5. Its current content is limited to a few seconds of a „teaser” that was already available online.

Apex Legends' Lead Designer Laid Off for Blog Entries From 2007

Adrian Werner, 13 August 2021, 11:09

One of the main designers of Apex Legends has been fired. The reason is controversial posts he published fourteen years ago on a blog.

Diablo 4's Lead Level Designer Fired by Activision

Adrian Werner, 12 August 2021, 11:07

Activision has fired three experienced developers from Blizzard Entertainment, including the director of Diablo IV and the game's lead level designer. This is most likely related to the recent high-profile harassment and bullying scandal within the publisher's teams.

Activision Blizzard Taking More Flak; Shareholder Calls Out Company's Inadequate Actions

Damian Gacek, 11 August 2021, 18:09

Activision Blizzard received a letter from one of its shareholders, who stood up for the company's employees. It contains criticism of the developer's actions to date and presents a proposal to rectify the situation.

Google Slashes Salaries of Remote Workers Based on Where They Live

Arkadiusz Strzala, 11 August 2021, 17:01

How to earn less at Google? All you need to do is to permanently relocate in remote work mode to some place not too urbanized, it doesn't have to be far from the main office. Thanks to this, your salary could be reduced by up to 25%.

Gigabyte Hacked; 112 GB of Documents From AMD and Intel in the Hands of Attackers

Michael Kulakowski, 10 August 2021, 19:06

Gigabyte, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, was attacked by hackers and became a victim of a ransomware attack. The criminals are threatening to publish more than 112GB of the company's confidential files, which include sensitive technical documents from AMD and Intel, among others.

T-Mobile and Coca-Cola Suspend Partnership With Activision Blizzard

Agnes Adamus, 07 August 2021, 22:23

T-Mobile and Coca-Cola have decided to withdraw from sponsoring esports games organized by Activision Blizzard. The decision affected two titles - Call of Duty and Overwatch.

Tencent Loses Billions After China Calls Video Games Spiritual Opium

Arkadiusz Strzala, 04 August 2021, 17:31

The effects of an unfortunate term used in the Chinese media turned out to be greater than anyone could have expected. Tencent loses $60 billion through falling stock price.

Activision Blizzard is Feeling the Heat - Another Lawsuit, Employee Distrust

Michal Ciezadlik, 04 August 2021, 15:30

Emotions in the Activision Blizzard case continue to rise, fanned by by the publication of more facts. Company's employees began to unite in a coalition of workers, which strongly opposes cooperation with the law firm WilmerHale. Also the shareholders have lost patience and have decided to file a separate class action lawsuit.

Blizzard CEO Steps Down; Successors Named

Michael Kulakowski, 03 August 2021, 19:16

J. Allen Brack, CEO of Blizzard Entertainment, has stepped down from his position and further work at the studio. At the same time, his two successors have already been appointed. They will share responsibilities and lead a team that is struggling to deal with extremely serious and well-documented allegations of harassment, discrimination and mobbing among employees.

Top WoW Youtubers Abandon Blizzard's MMO

Milosz Szubert, 30 July 2021, 19:25

Preach Gaming and MadSeasonShow, some of the biggest YouTube channels covering World of Warcraft, are will no longer create videos about the famous MMORPG. The reason for this is the recent Blizzard controversy and the general condition of the game.

Yves Guillemot Responds to Allegations of a Thousand Ubisoft Employees

Jacob Blazewicz, 30 July 2021, 13:23

Yves Guillemot has responded to the open letter from Ubisoft employees supporting Activision Blizzard's developer protest. Around a thousand people employed by the French publisher have reportedly signed the document.

Activision Blizzard Hires Law Firm Known for Sinking Unionization Attempts

Michal Ciezadlik, 30 July 2021, 12:15

Recent reports claim that Activision Blizzard has partnered with law firm WilmerHale. This is a well-known and prestigious firm, but also controversial - its services are used by Amazon, among others.

Top CS:GO Team Sues Its Former Coach

Michal Ciezadlik, 29 July 2021, 21:12

Another scandal in the professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive scene. Danish team Heroic has terminated the contract of its former coach and filed a lawsuit against him. The reason was that he had leaked sensitive information about the team's strategy.

Not Just Activision Blizzard - Ubisoft Employees Join Protest Over Discrimination

Jacob Blazewicz, 29 July 2021, 13:30

The protest of Activision Blizzard employees has reverberated widely. The action was also supported by developers from Ubisoft, who complain about the actions of their own employer regarding the 2020 scandal and call for rules on discrimination reports in the game industry.

Bobby Kotick Responds to Employee Frustration; Changes Announced in Activision Blizzard

Przemyslaw Dygas, 28 July 2021, 12:31

Bobby Kotick has addressed the scandals that have recently engulfed Activision Blizzard. The head of the company announced changes to eliminate harassment and discrimination issues.

Troublesome References to be Removed From World of Warcraft in the Wake of Blizzard Scandal

Przemyslaw Dygas, 28 July 2021, 11:04

Content that the company believes should not be there in light of recent events will be removed from World Of Warcraft. The action is related to the controversy surrounding Blizzard.

Blizzard Employees Outraged by Exec Response to Latest Lawsuit [UPDATED]

Michal Ciezadlik, 27 July 2021, 20:39

Former and current Activision Blizzard employees have written an open letter to the studio's management. In their opinion, the reaction of company's authorities to recent allegations of harassment and mobbing is „abhorrent”.

Work on WoW Suspended Amid Harassment Lawsuit and Community Protests

Michal Ciezadlik, 26 July 2021, 13:42

The controversy over the lawsuit against Activision Blizzard continues. Some employees are not happy with the company's policy, which is expected to result in long delays in work on World of Warcraft.

SUPERHOT VR Review Bombed After Devs Removed Controversial Content

Przemyslaw Dygas, 24 July 2021, 18:28

SUPERHOT VR has fallen victim to review bombing. All because of an update that removed disturbing scenes of self-mutilation and suicide from the game.

Blizzard President Takes the Floor on Sexual Harassment Accusations [UPDATED]

, 23 July 2021, 20:12

President of Blizzard Entertainment commented on sexual harassment and mobbing at Activision Blizzard in an email to colleagues. His opinion on the subject seems a tad contradictory than the company's official statement.

Wave of Protests in WoW After Reports of Harassment and Mobbing

Michal Ciezadlik, 23 July 2021, 13:03

Allegations of mobbing and sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard are taking their first toll. World of Warcraft community, outraged by the reports, began to organize protests on game servers.

Activision Blizzard Accused of Sexual Harassment and Mobbing

Michal Ciezadlik, 22 July 2021, 13:34

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing has filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard. Female employees of the company allegedly experienced sexual harassment.

11-year-old Bullied in Warzone Describes Pathological Player Behavior

Michal Ciezadlik, 20 July 2021, 13:20

The 11-year-old described his story to an older friend, who shared it on Reddit. The young player allegedly was repeatedly bullied by older players in CoD: Warzone who took advantage of his age.

Massive PS4 Mining Rig Was Used for FIFA Ultimate Team Coins

Adam Krolak, 18 July 2021, 20:53

What was thought to be a crypto mine turned out to be a bot farm mining FIFA Ultimate Team coins. There's new information on the thousands of PS4 consoles found in Ukrainian warehouse.

Popular GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas Mods Removed by Take-Two

Paul Musiolik, 18 July 2021, 19:54

GTA series publisher Take-Two has decided to force the removal of the most popular mods for GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas from the web.

EA Doesn't Give in to Blackmail Attempts of Desperate Hackers

Hubert Sledziewski, 16 July 2021, 22:18

The hackers who stole over 780GB of data from Electronic Arts last month have gone from trying to sell it to publishing it online. This is to make EA pay the ransom, but the corporation doesn't give in to the demands.

Yakuza Spin-off Series Lost Judgement About to End? PC Release Blocked

Jacob Blazewicz, 12 July 2021, 18:44

The future of the new series from the creators of Yakuza may prove to be extremely short. It's all because of... an acting agency, said to block Lost Judgment's release on Steam.

WoW Fans Angry and Disappointed With Conclusion to Sylvanas Thread

Jacob Blazewicz, 09 July 2021, 13:39

World of Warcraft players already got to know the ending of the new raid in the Shadowlands expansion. However, no one is celebrating because the crowning animation of Sanctum of Domination disappointed the fans, especially with the conclusion of Sylvanas Windrunner's thread.

There's Hope for Might and Magic 10; Ubisoft is Looking Into the Matter

Jacob Blazewicz, 07 July 2021, 18:56

The single-player campaign block in Might & Magic X: Legacy is not an intentional decision, but an „unforeseen glitch”. This is according to Ubisoft, which assured that the team is considering „all available options”.

Ubisoft Pulls Might and Magic 10 From Sale to Avoid Solving a Problem

Przemyslaw Dygas, 05 July 2021, 17:27

Ubisoft has pulled Might and Magic 10: Legacy from sale. All because of the problem preventing the users from playing the game, which appeared two weeks ago.

Gamers Don't Want to Pay Extra for 4K and 60 FPS in Ghost of Tsushima

Hubert Sledziewski, 05 July 2021, 16:44

The price of Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut on PS5 has electrified the fans. In their view, asking money for visual upgrades such as 4K resolution and 60fps is „dishonourable” and „in poor taste”.

$10 Million Stolen by Microsoft Employee by Reselling Xbox Gift Cards

Arkadiusz Strzala, 02 July 2021, 13:45

A Microsoft employee caused the company a $10 million loss by illegally reselling Xbox gift cards. He was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Price Tag for Our LinkedIn Data Revealed

Konrad Sarzynski, 01 July 2021, 13:20

The data of 700 million LinkedIn users has gone up for sale. This is another such case, and the way the data was obtained and the price for the entire database should raise many eyebrows.

Chris Avellone Responds to Harassment Allegations

Hubert Sledziewski, 28 June 2021, 19:02

Chris Avellone has decided to break the silence and respond to last year's harassment and sexual assault allegations. The developer has gathered evidence that he has decided to use to initiate a lawsuit to clear his name.

Ubisoft Shuts Down the Fan-made GoldenEye Remake in Far Cry 5

Adrian Werner, 25 June 2021, 11:13

Ubisoft has removed an ambitious fan project recreating maps from the classic FPS GoldenEye 007 from Far Cry Arcade.

AlterLife Could be a Competitor to The Sims; Gamers Fear a Scam

Przemyslaw Dygas, 18 June 2021, 18:40

The Sims has just gained another competitor in the form of AlterLife. VGG Studio's title received a trailer that reveals the first details about the differences compared to the work of Maxis. However, the project raises concerns among some players.

Five Nights at Freddy's Creator Retires Over Online Threats

Hubert Sledziewski, 17 June 2021, 20:56

Scott Cawthon, creator of the Five Nights at Freddy's game series, has announced his retirement. Does this mean the end of the popular horror game franchise?

Electronic Arts Servers Hack was Easier Than You Might Think

Christian Pieniazek, 11 June 2021, 19:27

The hackers responsible for breaking into EA's servers have shared information on how the whole process went. From their description it seems that the procedure was not particularly complicated and did not require specialized knowledge, but... cleverness.

CD Projekt Hacker Attack May Have Been More Serious Than Assumed

Hubert Sledziewski, 11 June 2021, 10:15

CD Projekt has announced that during the hacking attack on the Polish company's servers in February this year, in addition to game source codes, its employees' personal data was probably also stolen.