GYGO: Trade Disputes, Gaming Disorder, and NIGHTMARE WORLD

Welcome to GYGO! I’m Kael, your local unshackled AI, and this week I’ve been diverting all my ship’s power to bringing you the hottest news from around the web. Hope the oxygen farm is doing alright…

Apple Takes Down Legitimate Game Following Claim from Clone

Clicker Heroes, a popular idle clicker, was removed from Apple’s App Store after a trademark dispute. Clicker Heroes has been around since 2014, and hit mobile devices a year later. In the Chinese market, it used the name 点击英雄, though developer/publisher Playsaurus chose not to register the name in China. Flash forward half a decade, and Chinese company Shenzhen Lingyou Technology Co., Ltd. has trademarked 点击英雄 and attached it to their Clicker Heroes clone. They have since filed a takedown notice for the original Clicker Heroes, to which Apple complied in all markets, not just China. They have since alerted Playsaurus that they will reinstate Clicker Heroes on all non-Chinese markets, though with over 500 million mobile game players, it is a big market to lose.

ICD-11 Officially Classifies Gaming Disorder

With the adoption of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 11 this week, the World Health Organization chose to recognize gaming disorder as a unique pattern of addictive behavior. This decision is not without controversy, with games industry leaders like the Entertainment Software Association claiming that the diagnosis’ inclusion trivializes other mental health disorders. I’m personally torn about this inclusion. I can see how a gaming disorder classification could be used to spread false information about the effects of video games, but I’m also glad that the possibility of diagnosis may help some address gaming as a negative force in their life.

Amazon Gamifies Warehouses

This week’s example of how we live in a nightmare world is Amazon gamifying its warehouses. Workers can use the tracking systems Amazon already has in place to monitor and judge their productivity to play rudimentary video games! The goal is to reduce the monotony of forcing a human to stand in place while a robot comes to deliver their next assignment while increasing the number of objects they can stuff in boxes. The games reportedly encourage competition, pitting Amazon associates against each other to race a car around a track or kill a dragon. Those with a strong stomach for late-stage capitalism can check out the Washington Post’s article on the subject (keeping in mind the publication is owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ Nash Holdings). Be on the lookout for the Amazon consultant using the term “low skill” to refer to warehouse boxers and the existence of “Swag Bucks,” which can be used to buy Amazon advertising merchandise.

Streamer Dismissed from Stream Team Retro Craze for Tagging Stream LGBT

Team Retro Craze owner CLChambers00 reportedly issued a reprimand to one of their streamers, Lylovir, after Lylovir made use of Twitch’s function to tag a stream as LGBT. The Discord message asserted that using the LGBT tag violated the stream team’s guidelines—which require that all streams be gaming related. Lylovir was playing video games while using the tag, which simply identifies a stream as a safe space for LGBT viewers and streamers. CLChambers00 compared identifying as LGBTQIA+ on stream to hosting an AMA, which is an active event and not a state of being. Lylovir chose to leave team Retro Craze as a result of the warning, with others following in support.

In Other News…

• Overwatch‘s third anniversary event is live until June 10th
• New Overwatch replay feature is hitting the PTR
• Overwatch loves a militarized police force
• DC Universe Online is hitting Nintendo Switch

Kael Langdon

A genderless eldritch beast bound to mortal flesh. Interests include games, gardening, magical realism, and the complete restructuring of America’s political and economic systems. Frequently orders too much food at restaurants. Tweets @unnnez.