There is nothing more frustrating for gamers than experiencing lags and lost files. An immediate solution for those issues is dedicated servers. If we are talking about harassment and privacy issues, private dedicated servers might be the best response available at the moment.
In a time where safety and privacy in gaming are huge topics for discussion, we can’t help but think about private dedicated servers, AI moderation and voice-changing technologies, especially for online multiplayer gaming experiences. According to Forbes, over 60% of gamers, adults and minors, have suffered from some kind of harassment in online gaming. The most exposed groups are women, Black Americans and Asian Americans. Over 50% of gamers try or succeed in hiding their identities to avoid harassment.
In the US alone, 91% of the kids between two and 17 years old are playing video games. In the UK, 82% of children between 12 and 15 years old play games online, and the next generation is being brought up in full digital, online, interactive environments. This is amazingly great news, and terrifying at the same time.
Game rage is a real thing – fully documented and widely researched. From griefing, doxing, and swatting to all kinds of hate speech and aggressive behaviour, the danger is substantial and has real physical and mental consequences. Games are wonderful social tools and must be truly nurtured as such, but they can also pose grave threats to our youth. With the metaverse and full digital lives advancing, these threats need to be taken seriously and averted whenever possible.
Besides cyberbullying, privacy problems and data leaks, other dangers to be considered in online gaming are misuse of webcams, malware and online predators. It is not a surprise that many groups advocate that online gaming is harmful to their youth, but the truth is that those dangers are not only in gaming. These dangers are everywhere online and games are just the conduit for positive and negative alike.
So what can be done? Are there solutions available? We are not saying that we are 100% safe yet, but we are going in the right direction. AI moderation, both in voice, text and images, data privacy, voice changing technology, and private dedicated servers are some of these solutions. At 4Players, these issues are taken seriously and we are constantly looking for the best partners to fill all the gaps. We believe that it is possible to create safe and immersive gaming environments where our youth can learn to act in a positive way, while enjoying positive life experiences.