Tag Archives: gameplay

Minecraft is most malware infected game

228k Users Affected, Are You One Of Them?

As people are looking for ways to unwind at home, the gaming industry has been one of the primary places people set their eyes on. Not only is it a way to entertain yourself for hours on end, but it is also a place for people to connect, which is otherwise hard to do during the pandemic. 

According to data presented by the Atlas VPN team, 303,827 individuals’ devices were affected by gaming-related malware and unwanted software between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021. Mobile games are also a major threat for gamers.

As many as 50,644 users attempted to download 10,488 unique files disguised as the ten most-played mobile games, generating a total of 332,570 detections. Minecraft was by far the most popular game on both PC and mobile platforms for dangerous app distributors to hide behind. On PC, nearly 185 thousand users were affected with over 3 million malware and unwanted software detections.

On mobile, the number of victims exceeds 44 thousand for the period.

Unwanted software includes files like adware, spyware, and so on. There are various versions of Minecraft and a plethora of mods (modifications that may be placed on top of the basic game to diversify gameplay) may account for its enormous popularity. Because mods are unofficial and developed by users, they can be used to hide dangerous payloads or undesirable software. 

Security tips for gamers

  • Protect your accounts with two-factor authentication (2-FA) whenever possible. 
  • Use strong passwords for your accounts, with a different one for each. That way, even if one of your accounts is compromised, the remainder will remain unaffected.
  • Downloading games from official retailers such as Steam, Apple App Store, Google Play, or Amazon Appstore is safer. These marketplaces aren’t completely safe, but they are at least examined by store staff, and there is some sort of screening procedure in place: not every app is allowed into these stores.
  • If you want to buy a game that isn’t accessible in major stores, you should do it through the official website. Make sure to double-check the website’s URL to avoid impostor sites.
  • Be cautious of phishing campaigns and unfamiliar players. If you are unsure about the sender, do not open links you receive via email or in a gaming chat. Do not open files sent to you by strangers.

Another one of the most well-known game titles worldwide, The Sims 4, was the second most often used title to distribute unwanted files. Over 43 thousand users were impacted, with detections closing in on 1.3 million.  For the Silo, Valentina Perez.

How Developers Are Using New Rules And Modes To Keep Their Games Popular

Game developers don’t just make money from the first release of a game anymore. One of the smartest ways of making money from games is to release one that can be updated and keep players enjoying it months and years after launch. Company’s like EA are making hundreds of millions of dollars from game releases such as Anthem and Battlefield V.

“Electronic-Arts-Logo” by Electronic Arts [Public domain]

This can be difficult for game developers trying to find new ways to change a game that has been available for years. They will have to find a way to add more to the game without removing what people enjoy so much about it, but it can be done.

Players Can Make Their Own Modes

File:Fortnite Pro-Am stadium at E3 2018 3.jpg

“Fortnite Pro-Am stadium at E3 2018 3” by Sergey Galyonkin [CC BY-SA 2.0]

If developers are worried about changing a game in a way that players won’t like, one idea is to allow players to make their own modes. This is also great for a game with millions of players, where different fans don’t all want the same thing and developers may be unable to release something that they all like. One game that has done this is Fortnite with its Battle Lab which allows players to create battle royale matches by changing how much damage is done and how to win. Overwatch also offers fans a custom mode where they can make characters much faster to hold Lucio races with their friends. This also helps the game to become popular as fans get their friends to play these modes with them.

New Rules Make Games More Challenging

Game developers can also try to add new rules to their games. Players who have been playing a game for years may feel that they have become incredibly good at it and need new gameplay to help them work on their skills. Developers can add new rewards too which gives players more ways to feel like they’ve won. A game that does this well is Blackjack Perfect Pairs, which takes blackjack, a game that is popular all around the world, and adds a few new ways to win to it. Players can win by getting 21 and they can make a bet on if they’ll get a pair with their first two cards, and there’s 21+3 where players try to make a three-card hand with their two cards and the dealer’s card. Many people know how to play blackjack but the casino game from Realistic Games gives people something new to learn about it.

How to Make the Best Changes

File:Mario emblem.svg

“Mario emblem” by Nintendo/Hayden Schiff [Public domain]

When developers make changes to their games, it is typically to make them more enjoyable for fans. Fans don’t always like the changes that the developers have made and this can lead to criticism.

Some players didn’t like the Mario Kart Tour update, saying that it didn’t change many of the game’s maps by adding snow as they would have liked. Fans may not have had these criticisms if developers had asked the players before developing the updates. Asking players what they want on social media can help developers to make something great.

Keeping a game popular years after it has been released isn’t easy. The money that developers can make if they do is why so many teams spend hours developing updates.