Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony have announced that they're working together to make online gaming safer for all. The three major console makers are in competition when it comes to sales, but they will work together from time to time, such as when they publicly opposed US President Donald Trump's console tariffs.
There are many video game communities with a reputation for being toxic, but nasty behavior isn't restricted to specific groups or platforms. It only takes the actions of a single player to sour the experience of others, and it can happen in any game on any console. This is something that is especially concerning to parents, who don't want their children exposed to hate and bullying online. As it stands, different companies have different guidelines for how they deal with toxic behavior, and some are better at enforcing them than others. Amazon has plans for policing toxic players on its Luna service, but each company still has its own guidelines and they can be as loose or as strict as they want.
There has been a huge step forward in creating safe environments for players online. A news post on the official Xbox website has announced that it, Nintendo, and PlayStation are working together and creating shared guidelines for protecting players from abusive behavior. Xbox release the following statement:
"At Xbox, we are aligned with both Nintendo, on behalf of the community of Nintendo Switch players and PlayStation in our belief that protecting players online requires a multidisciplinary approach – one that combines the benefits of advanced technology, a supportive community, and skilled human oversight. We can accomplish more when we work toward the same goal, and so we will each continue investing in, evolving, and amplifying our approaches to user safety. As we continue this work, we will prioritize protecting the safety of our players, especially those most vulnerable."
The three companies have agreed on the following shared principles. Prevention: They will give parents and guardians the tools to protect younger players from harm, and will make these tools as accessible and easy to use as possible. Partnership: The companies will work with law enforcement and industry experts to further develop practices and research ways to make gaming online safer. This will also involve further partnership with organizations like the ESRB and PEGI. Responsibility: The three companies will make their rules easy to find and understand. It will be easy for players to report abusive behavior and to notify law enforcement whenever there is the potential for players being exposed to harm.
Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony have worked together in a similar manner in the past, in order to enforce the disclosure of loot box results. The industry has long needed general guidelines for code of conduct and taking responsibility for actions made on their platforms. It's early days yet, but we hope that other companies join the big three in making online gaming safer for everyone.
Source: Xbox
