Warhammer Online at Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMOG Gamers to the Next Level!

The Gamer Safety Alliance kicked off Gamer Safety Week yesterday with contribution articles from some of those companies Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), Square Enix, NCsoft West, Nexon America, Electronic Arts (EA), En Masse Entertainment, Microsoft, MindCandy and Turbine about online safety and account security. Though one does chuckle a bit when half the companies on that list discuss the importance of creating a complex and secure password were victims of database breaches within the last year that rendered those complicated passwords moot, but I digress.

Gamer Safety Week is about more than the simple intricacies of Internet password safety, and while that is very important, it’s also about online safety in general. There are a lot of dangerous and manipulative people in the world and some of them use the Internet to gather information for an assortment of nefarious deeds, wrongdoings and other shenanigans. To that end, each of the contributing companies have made some great points and it’s well worth a read to find out what each of them have to say about online safety and how to protect yourself.

Additional articles are expected to be released throughout the week. I recommend starting with SOE's, which out of the ones currently available is rather lengthy and incredibly detailed about the steps a thief takes to obtain access to and loot your game account of its valuables.

Source: Gamer Safety Alliance Press Release

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Gamer Safety Alliance Unveils Gamer Safety Week

Industry companies unite to increase awareness of safer gaming principles and best practices.

February 6, 2012 – SEATTLE – The Merchant Risk Council’s (MRC) Gamer Safety Alliance today announced the inaugural Gamer Safety Week (GSW) beginning February 6 and ending February 12.  Nine global companies including Electronic Arts, En Masse Entertainment, Microsoft, MindCandy, NCsoft West, Nexon America, Sony Online Entertainment, Square Enix, and Turbine, are partnering to provide gaming fans and customers information and resources to ensure a safer and more enjoyable gaming experience. 

 “We pulled together some of the world’s top online entertainment companies and created the Gamer Safety Alliance to foster a greater awareness of safer gaming principles and best practices,” said Steve Levy, Global Director of Publishing for NCsoft West and founding member of the Gamer Safety Alliance. “The goal of Gamer Safety Week is to reach as many gamers as possible to inform and educate about how to have fun in a safer way.”

As part of Gamer Safety Week, each member company will be sharing tips and tactics for customers, focusing on universal principles for online safety: 

• Contact: Be thoughtful about who you communicate with and only engage with those that you trust. Utilize communications tools for you and your family.  Don’t communicate sensitive information with those that you don’t know.
• Conduct: Practice good digital citizenship!  Be respectful of others, don’t post harmful or hurtful material, and have fun  Know the proper steps to help keep your accounts secure – use different strong passwords across multiple sites and never provide your password to anyone else (regardless of their claims).
• Content: Most games have ratings and descriptions of the content.  Use this information to play games that are appropriate for you and your family.  Check out ESRB ratings in the United States, PEGI ratings for most of Europe, or your local ratings agency for more information. 

By presenting these general tips across different gaming publishers, as well as tips specific to each company’s offerings, the Gamer Safety Alliance seeks to create a week where all gamers can learn about and practice safer online habits.

“Each GSA member company works hard to provide safe and enjoyable experiences for customers.  Safety is a two-way street, though, and we also want to provide information and best practices for our communities to leverage,” said Doug Park, Director of Online Safety for Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business and Director of the Gamer Safety Alliance.  “Applying simple safety tips and tactics maximizes enjoyment and can help minimize potential issues.”

Anyone who is interested in learning more online safety tips and tactics is encouraged to visit the educational content posted on the following member websites:

Electronic Arts: EA

En Masse Entertainment: En Masse

Microsoft: Xbox Security and Get Game Smart

MindCandy: MindCandy

NCsoft West: PlaySmart

Nexon America: Nexon

Sony Online Entertainment: SOE

Square Enix: Square Enix Support Center

Turbine: Best Practices in Online Security

About the Gamer Safety Alliance
Established in 2009, the Gamer Safety Alliance is a cross-industry effort to break down traditional competitive barriers and share information and best practices within the computer and video game industry.  “As a global trade association uniting online retailers and gamers, card brands, law enforcement agencies and solution providers to make the internet a preferred and safe place to shop and play, the MRC fully supports the Gamer Safety Alliance and its proactive efforts in promoting safer gaming practices and educating its users on the latest gaming safety tips,” said Greg Goeckner, Executive Director of the MRC. “Online gaming’s fast-growing importance as an entertainment vertical is truly unparalleled and undeniable.” Members network with similarly focused company representatives from around the globe and include Electronic Arts, En Masse Entertainment, Microsoft, MindCandy, NCsoft West, Nexon America, Sony Online Entertainment, Square Enix, and Turbine.  For questions, please contact Doug Park (dougpark@microsoft.com).