Gaming
Unity Launches Safe Voice in Closed Beta – An Advanced Anti-Toxicity Solution to Foster Safer Gaming Communities
Unity (NYSE: U), the world’s leading platform for creating and growing real-time 3D (RT3D) content, today announced the launch of Safe Voice, an advanced toxicity detection solution from Unity Gaming Services that leverages cutting-edge acoustic and semantic intelligence to identify in-game toxicity at scale. The context-aware technology gives studios the capability to take action faster, and to ultimately build and foster more positive, safe and engaged gaming communities. Safe Voice analyzes unique voice characteristics like tone, loudness, pitch, intonation, emotion, and context of player interactions, to deliver nuanced insights rapidly. Built to integrate seamlessly with Unity’s Voice Chat solution (Vivox), Safe Voice is game engine agnostic and provides an important safety-layer to a game’s player communications toolkit.
“At Unity we are leading the way with best-in-class solutions to support studios in their fight to protect their communities from toxic and disruptive behavior in games,” said Jeff Collins, SVP and GM, Unity Gaming Services. “Safe Voice is exemplary of how we’re tackling this challenge with cutting-edge technology that intuitively makes what was once a laborious and resource intensive process more efficient, effective and scalable. We are excited to empower studios with a tool that simplifies combatting toxicity and helps pave the way for building safer and more inclusive gaming environments.”
Safe Voice leverages advanced machine learning algorithms to offer both proactive and player-initiated toxicity detection. It is activated when players flag instances of toxic or disruptive behaviors and it also monitors for behaviors or activities in game that could be indicative of a toxic event (e.g. players muting another player or abrupt exits). Detailed session reporting dashboards give moderators a thorough and nuanced understanding of player interactions so they can better monitor the health of their community. The overview dashboard shows trends over time and surfaces behaviors that are driving the most disruption in their game to help moderators prioritize instances to react to.
Hi-Rez Studios, the creators of the popular free-to-play tactical shooter, Rogue Company, recently adopted Safe Voice to help manage their toxicity challenges.
“Safe Voice is a breakthrough tool that has helped us better understand our community,” said Tony Jones, Lead Producer, Rogue Company. “The tool gives us visibility into what’s happening in the game, not only from a trust and safety perspective, but also from a general gameplay perspective. The extra data points in the Safe Voice dashboard have been critical for helping moderators identify higher risk users and incidents quickly, allowing us to mitigate situations before they have a chance to escalate in a much more efficient and effective way.”
Safe Voice is the first product from a suite of toxicity solutions Unity plans to release that will be available through Unity Gaming Services. Safe Voice is available in closed beta now. Developers can visit https://create .unity .com/safe-voice-beta to request beta access. To learn more about Safe Voice, visit https://unity .com/products/safe-voice.
FreezeNova
10-15% Of Gamers In Florida Show Signs Of Gaming Addiction: Here Are 10 Signs Your Kid Is Suffering From It (And How You Can Help)
Recent studies indicate that 10-15% of young gamers in Florida exhibit signs of gaming addiction. These findings underscore the need for early identification of symptoms to prevent negative impacts on children’s mental and physical health. Gaming addiction, if not dealt with, can lead to poor academic performance, social withdrawal, and even health problems.
Marin Cristian-Ovidiu, CEO of FreezeNova, discusses key indicators of gaming addiction and offers practical advice for parents.
Recognizing Early Signs
“Early recognition of gaming addiction is crucial in preventing long-term negative outcomes,” Marin explains. The following signs can help parents identify if their child might be developing an addiction:
Exhaustion and Irritability
Constant tiredness and grumpiness during the day could indicate late-night gaming sessions interfering with sleep.
Gaming Obsession
If gaming dominates your child’s thoughts and conversations, and they plan their day around it while neglecting other responsibilities, it could be a sign of addiction.
Decline in Academic Performance and Lost Interests
A noticeable decline in academic performance or loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities may suggest your child is prioritizing gaming over more important tasks.
Emotional Volatility
Extreme emotional reactions to in-game outcomes, such as uncontrolled anger, known as ‘Gamer Rage’, or intense celebrations, could indicate an unhealthy attachment to gaming.
Physical Strain
Signs of repetitive strain injuries like ‘Gamer’s Thumb’ or ‘Nintendo Neck’ from prolonged screen time are warning signals.
Neglecting Basic Needs
If your child is neglecting basic needs like eating, sleeping, or hygiene to keep playing, gaming has likely taken an unhealthy control over their life.
Creating a Supportive Environment
While video games can be a great source of entertainment and connection, around 70% of people with signs of gaming addiction also experience social disorders. Marin recommends a few tips for building a supportive and open environment for your child.
Teamwork and Setting Boundaries
“Parents and children should work together to create a healthy gaming environment. Gaming addiction requires a holistic approach,” Marin advises. Start by setting clear boundaries on gaming time to ensure there’s room for schoolwork, chores, and quality family time.
Revisit activities your child once loved, like football practice or exploring new hobbies together. It’s vital for your child to take breaks from screens, so create a balanced daily routine that includes homework, chores, exercise and just some gaming time. This allows your child to enjoy their games without neglecting other aspects of their life.
Open Communication
Maintain open communication. Discuss the games your child enjoys and any concerns you might have. By understanding their world, you can work together to find solutions.
Remember, you’re not alone. If you feel overwhelmed, seek professional help from specialists in gaming addiction. Marin concludes, “By working as a team, setting clear boundaries, and fostering open communication, we can help your child develop a healthy relationship with gaming and thrive in all areas of life.”
SYNOT Games has announced that more than 140 of its games have now been officially certified in Brazil.
“We are delighted to announce that more than 140 of our games have now been officially certified in Brazil. This significant achievement allows us to expand our reach and introduce a diverse selection of games to this dynamic market. Brazil represents a key opportunity for growth, and we are committed to delivering exceptional gaming experiences to the Brazilian audience,” the Company said.
“We are thrilled to introduce our portfolio in Brazil, offering innovative and engaging gameplay that promises to captivate and entertain players,” Martina Krajci, CCO at SYNOT Games, said.
Gaming
SPGA Introduces Code of Conduct to Highlight Member Commitment to Compliance and Safety in Social and Promotional Gaming
The Code of Conduct is designed to spotlight the processes and technologies already in place at both SPGA member sites and the majority of social casinos offering promotional sweepstakes, also referred to as social sweeps games.
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Age verification to limit real money play to users 18 and older
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Proper identity verification (Know Your Customer or KYC)
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Location verification of customers
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AML policies to ensure proper transaction monitoring
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