With the rise of cybercrimes across every sector, the gaming sector is also being used for such fraudulent activities. The game developer Epic Games has been fined for such fraud activities. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Epic games was fined for using “dark patterns” in 2022.
Notably Epic games was the developer behind the popular game Fortnite. Fortnite is a multiplayer shooting game. But, why was this game developer fined? Let’s have a detailed look at what went wrong.
The dark side of ‘Dark patterns’
So, what is ‘dark patterns’ and how can it impact gamers and every gaming enthusiast? Dark patterns in gaming can manipulate you into sharing personal information, spending money, spending time with a service, and even making purchases based on trickery. This eventually leads you to install unwanted programs and make misinformed purchases.
But how does this scam work? You can fall into a ‘dark pattern’ through various ways. This can be executed through pop-ups which hide their opt-out buttons, products advertised to you with fake testimonials, and even click bait-and-switch prices that can come with hidden costs.
Can your game take a dark turn?
Dark patterns can be found in some websites and even apps. However, most cases are hidden in video games. These can impact any aspect of a game turning into a trap. This could include progression systems, menus, and even gameplay mechanics.
There is a different variety of dark patterns but most can be divided into three main categories. This includes the following:
- First you have “Temporal dark patterns”. These patterns can encourage you to spend lengthy amounts of time on a game and then punish you for not playing.
- Next you have “Monetary dark patterns” . This can pressurise you into spending real money. To be specific, loot boxes and artificial paywalls can be some of the well-known examples.
- Lastly, there are “psychological dark patterns”, which involve the use of false pretenses or deliberate manipulation of common player behaviors to keep them playing and spending real money on a game.
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