Blizzard bans 250,000 Overwatch 2 cheaters, says its AI that analyses voice chat is warning naughty players and can often ‘correct negative behaviour immediately’::Overwatch 2 has not been having a good time of it in 2023. May brought the unwelcome news that Blizzard’s original plans for the game’s post-launch support were being changed, mainly the pro

  • Shiggles
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    56
    arrow-down
    4
    ·
    1 year ago

    There were 250,000 “people” still playing overwatch 2?

  • southsamurai
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    52
    arrow-down
    11
    ·
    1 year ago

    Any game that monitors voice chats is a hell no

    • aelius@sopuli.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      27
      arrow-down
      17
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Why though? What expectation of privacy do you have for a moderated public platform? Why is this substantially different than ingame chat logs? How could they moderate voice chat otherwise?

      In the context of online games specifically, harrasment over voice chat is an enormous problem, and it drives players away from VC (decreasing their ability to communicate with a team in a team game), or drives players away from the game entirely.

      If it works even just /decently/ well and has a functional appeal process, this is an unqualified win. We need to start filtering out the harassment endemic to the broader gaming community.

      • RadButNotAChad@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        10
        arrow-down
        3
        ·
        1 year ago

        How long until information from our conversations is recorded and sold to data firms that will in turn use it to sell to us, or hacked and personal conversations exposed.

      • reversebananimals@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        arrow-down
        4
        ·
        1 year ago

        Its not black and white.

        Here’s a thought experiment: since streets are public places, would you be willing to wear a lapel mic every time you leave your house that records everything you say in public and gives access to every megacorporation and government?

        Does that make you feel kind of weird? Well this is the same situation. Just because its a public place, doesn’t mean things can’t still feel invasive.

        • aelius@sopuli.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          13
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          Then you don’t understand the scope or nature of the problem trying to be solved.

          • southsamurai
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            1 year ago

            No, I just refuse to have some shitty company monitoring me when I’m trying to be relaxed and have fun. It’s bad enough you can’t do shit online without invasive bullshit, but I’ll be fucked if I’m going to deal with it when I’m playing a game.

            Idgaf what anyone else is doing or not doing, that’s not my problem.

        • Wade@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          11
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          If you don’t use it then how is it a big deal if it’s monitored?

          • southsamurai
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            That’s why I don’t use them. I outright object to it on principle.

    • kboy101222@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Agreed to a point. I think the ideal system would be to locally store voice chats. If you report someone on your team for being toxic, then they’re sent over for review but made anonymous (like “Blue Player 1” and “Red Player 3” instead of “xXxGunKiller69xXx” and “Purple Dream Flute”). If whatever system used to review the chats (preferably humans, but it’ll probably be AI) determines that there was an actionable offense, the match identifier is pulled up and then and only then individual player names get seen so actions can be taken, otherwise it’s fully deleted.

      That’s about the best system I can think of to balance privacy with the banning of toxic players. You could use this same system for text interactions as well. While I would love for 100% of my data in mp games to be private, it isn’t possible to do that and not be surrounded by toxic assholes 24/7 afaik. And I’m personally fine giving up a bit of privacy if it means not being surrounded by assholes every match.

      Now, the big issue is that gaming companies just want to record everything you say to sell it off for data collection, but that’s more to do with the fact that capitalism encourages companies to have 0 ethics

    • gruvn
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      arrow-down
      7
      ·
      1 year ago

      It seems safe to assume that you are not overly respectful to your teammates in voice chat.

      • southsamurai
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        Has nothing to do with that. It’s invasive and I object you that on principle. I don’t have any alexa/siri/Google shit in my house either.

        • gruvn
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          I absolutely agree with you on that. And I hate that you can’t get a modern TV that isn’t always listening.

  • JTskulk@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    11
    ·
    1 year ago

    Meanwhile they won’t ban obvious StarCraft 2 cheaters. There’s a guy on the ladder that admits to it, anyone can look at his history and see that he doesn’t ever get a loss, just ties. And he maphacks on top of this.

      • JTskulk@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        Sad but true. They have a community balance team and the maps come from the community as well. How about community mods if they won’t moderate their own shit?