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<title>Malware in Games
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
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<h2>Malware in Games</h2>

<p><a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">Other examples of proprietary
malware</a></p>

<div class="highlight-para">
<p>
<em>Malware</em> means class="infobox">
<hr class="full-width" />
<p>Nonfree (proprietary) software designed is very often malware (designed to function in ways that
mistreat or harm the user.  (This does not include accidental errors.)
</p>

<p>
Malware and nonfree user). 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,
<strong><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html#addictiveness">
addictiveness</a></strong> 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 two different issues.  The difference
between
to serve as specific substantiation.</p>
</div>

<div class="column-limit" id="malware-games"></div>

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <li id="M202411110">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-11</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Ubisoft is facing a fraud lawsuit for <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free software</a> and
nonfree software
    href="https://www.polygon.com/gaming/476979/ubisoft-the-crew-shut-down-lawsuit-class-action">
    shutting down the proprietary video game The Crew, which was tethered
    to its servers</a>. As this game can't be played offline, people who
    used to think they owned a copy of it are now realizing they only
    bought a license that could be revoked at will by the developer.</p>

    <p>This is one more example of what tethering of a proprietary program
    leads to. If The Crew were free software, its users would be able to
    set up another server, and keep on playing.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <li id="M202312040">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-12</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Bungie's Destiny 2 is plagued with two major flaws:</p>

    <ul>
      <li>Like all proprietary tethered games, <a
href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">
whether
      href="https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/articles/is-destiny-2-down-how-to-check-server-maintenance-and-downtime">
      it can't be played when the company's servers are offline</a>.</li>

      <li>Ever since Bungie chose BattlEye as an anti-cheat program,
      Destiny 2 has been <a href="https://areweanticheatyet.com/">
      incompatible with GNU/Linux</a> <small>[this page can't be viewed
      without JavaScript]</small>. Bungie forces Steam Deck users
      to <a href="https://www.pcguide.com/steam-deck/play-destiny-2/">
      replace SteamOS with Windows, or play from Edge browser</a>.
      This doesn't have to be so, as several other games that use BattlEye
      do support GNU/Linux systems. Rather than doing the necessary
      adjustments, Bungie forces users to run nonfree software in order to
      keep an absolute control over them.</li>
    </ul>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <li id="M202301230">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-01</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>A dispute between Blizzard and one of its partners caused <a
    href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/23/world-of-warcraft-offline-china-millions-gamers-bereft">
    World of Warcraft to go offline in China</a>. The shutdown may not be
    permanent, but even if it is not, the fact that a business disagreement
    can stop all users in China from playing the game illustrates the
    injustice of requiring the use of a specific server.</p>

    <p>We expect that users must pay to use that server, but whether that
    is the case is a side issue.  Even if use of that server is gratis,
    the harm comes from the fact that the program or vice versa</a>.  It's doesn't allow people
    to make and use other servers for that job.</p>

    <p>Let's hope game fans in China learn the importance of <a
    href="https://gnu.org/philosophy/nonfree-games.html">rejecting nonfree
    games</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not directly edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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. The essential advantage of Minetest is that it is free
    software, meaning it respects the user's computer freedom. As a question bonus,
    it offers more options.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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 <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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <li id="M202010210">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-10</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>As of what 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 <em>does</em> when is proprietary and it'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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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 is malware; <a
    href="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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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
runs.  However, as <em>predatory</em>. 
    Note that Belgium <a
    href="https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/fifa-ultimate-team-packs-blocked-in-belgium">
    made these loot boxes illegal</a> in practice nonfree 2018.</p>

    <p>The only good reason to have a copy of such a proprietary
    game is to study it for free software development.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <li id="M201809210">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-09</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Clash of Clans is often malware, because 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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <li id="M201809170">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-09</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Clash Royale is an online game with an “optimized”
    <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html#gacha">
    <i>gacha</i></a> system that makes it <a
    href="https://medium.com/@nikmlnkr/what-makes-clash-royale-so-addictive-1e586815b1f0">
    very addictive for players</a>, and very profitable for its
    developers.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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 developer's awareness nonfree Steam client, <a
    href="https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/274552-great-now-games-are-hijacking-systems-with-cryptocurrency-miners">
    included a “miner”</a>, i.e. an executable that hijacks
    the CPU in users' computers to mine a cryptocurrency.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <li id="M201807110">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-07</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Nintendo has devoted a lot of effort to <a
    href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/07/nintendo-reportedly-rolling-out-new-more-hack-proof-switch-hardware/">
    preventing users would be powerless from installing third-party software on its Switch
    consoles</a>. These are now full-blown jails.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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 fix any
malicious functionalities tempts a server.  The company <a
    href="https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/400087-metal-gear-rising-mac-unplayable-drm">
    shut down the developer server, and all copies stopped working</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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 impose some.
</p>
</div>

<p>Here third parties</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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
    program along with an update to the massive
    multiplayer game Guild Wars 2.  The spyware allowed ArenaNet <a
    href="https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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 examples possible because the game is proprietary. If it were free, people
    could publish a non-manipulative version and play that instead.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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 malware 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 not help the player get
    a higher score in games.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>nVidia's 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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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
    href="https://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><p>Modern

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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.com/2016/09/23/capcom_street_fighter_v/">
    installed a driver 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/street-fighter-v-removes-new-anti-crack">
    immediately rolled back</a> in response to public outcry.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html#gacha">
    <i>gacha</i></a> which is especially effective on
    children. One variant of gacha was declared illegal in Japan in 2012,
    but the other variants are still <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 of
    money on virtual toys.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <li id="M201603060">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-03</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Electronic Arts <a
    href="https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/darkspore-servers-shut-down">made
    one of its games permanently unplayable</a> by shutting down its
    servers. This game was heavily reliant on the company's servers,
    and because the software is proprietary, users can't modify it to
    make it connect to some other server. If the game were free, people
    could still play what they purchased.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <li id="M201512290">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-12</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Many <a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240114145409/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/video-game-companies-are-collecting-massive-amounts-of-data-about-you/article_31fba9a3-2760-57ae-9ae0-4083904bcb87.html">
    video game consoles snoop on their users and report to 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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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/">
    href="https://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

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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 <a href="http://motherboard.vice.com/read/new-oculus-drm-cross-platform">
DRM meant to prevent running them
    href="https://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5-creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-get-you-addicted.html">
    addictive features</a> which are based on other 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

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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 <a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/19/apple-talking-cats-in-app-purchases">
games lure
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230329031353/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 spend their parents' money</a>.
</p> money on
    the game.</p>
  </li>

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  <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 the Wii U, making it 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

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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">
    href="https://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><a href="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><!-- for id="content", starts

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <li id="M201401190">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-01</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Some proprietary <a
    href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/19/apple-talking-cats-in-app-purchases">
    games lure children to spend their parents' money</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-games.html. -->
  <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 include above 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="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/06/if-you-used-to-run-linux-on-your-ps3-you-could-get-55-from-sony/">
    now paying for the sabotage</a>.</p>
  </li>

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  <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>
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