Geek Culture
Nintendo and Valve, among other video game businesses, have bogus accounts as a result of Twitter’s paid “verification”
Following the rollout of Twitter’s new paid-for verification system, well-known people and organizations, such as Nintendo and Valve, are being impersonated on the social media platform.
Twitter independently verified and awarded specific accounts, denoted by a blue checkmark, based on them meeting certain standards prior to Elon Musk’s $44 billion takeover of the site.
These accounts were considered to be noteworthy, authentic, active, and of general interest, but there is now a different route for anyone to get “confirmed,” which has led to possibly negative outcomes.
Anyone can pay to have the blue checkmark on their account without being verified as meeting the active, significant, and legitimate criteria thanks to the new $7.99 per month Twitter Blue membership service.
Although Musk had previously asserted that the new system would serve as a deterrent to spammers and con artists, it was discovered a few hours after it went live on Wednesday that it was also being used to spread lies.
An unreleased Super Mario Galaxy game was recently promoted by a fraudulent but legitimate Nintendo of America account. Additionally, a picture of Nintendo’s mascot giving the middle finger was published.
Can't imagine why all the advertisers are pulling out of Twitter lmao pic.twitter.com/pg55WXkxhS
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) November 9, 2022
Ricochet: Neon Prime, described as the “next competitive platform” from the studio behind the Half-Life series and the top digital game retailer Steam, was also “announced” using a legitimate Valve account.
Despite being a hoax, it nonetheless started its own topic on the well-known gaming community Resetera before users exposed it for what it was: a fraud.
this announcement is fake, created with purchased twitter blue checkmark, real account @valvesoftware pic.twitter.com/D3B3D8guYq
— Gabe Follower (@gabefollower) November 9, 2022
A “confirmed” Twitch account received hundreds of retweets elsewhere after purportedly “announce[ing]” new revenue splits for creators.
Others have gained verification status for fake profiles for sportsmen, politicians, Jesus Christ, and even Musk himself using the new technique.
https://twitter.com/twitchparody/status/1590494139065733120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1590494139065733120%7Ctwgr%5Ec31346761a56156094b3fd71265e34e0172a72a9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.videogameschronicle.com%2Fnews%2Ftwitters-paid-verification-leads-to-fake-accounts-for-game-companies-including-nintendo-and-valve%2F
For posterity pic.twitter.com/mWa4DlenN2
— Brian Whelan (@brianwhelanhack) November 9, 2022
Evidence that the new checkmark system has purportedly been used to effectively spoof Twitter and swindle users of money may be even more concerning for the network.
Twitter temporarily implemented a new measure on Wednesday to help users distinguish between Blue subscribers with blue checkmarks and accounts that it had verified as official ones in an effort to prevent Twitter Blue’s relaunch from leading to widespread confusion over which accounts were authentic.
The new check mark system has resulted in Threat Actors successfully impersonating Twitter and defrauding users out of money
Although the account is now suspended, it rapidly got 35,000+ retweets and 4,990 likes.
A simple $8 investment can result in thousands of dollars stolen. pic.twitter.com/uz7DHwflf6
— vx-underground (@vxunderground) November 10, 2022
Some accounts, including those for specific government institutions, business enterprises, significant media outlets, and some prominent individuals, were given a temporary “Official” title that wasn’t available for purchase; however, this system was abruptly abandoned hours later.
The Twitter Support account stated on Wednesday that although “We’re not currently putting a ‘Official’ designation on accounts, we are aggressively going after impersonation and deceit.”
In a tweet posted on Wednesday, Musk summarized the current state of affairs by stating: “Please note that Twitter will do a lot of stupid stuff in the coming months. What works will be kept, and what doesn’t will be changed.
Gaming
Joker’s Free Suicide Squad DLC on PS5
There hasn’t been much buzz surrounding Suicide Squad since its release in February. Warner Bros. was let down by the game’s underwhelming sales, but they remained committed to turning their live service vision into a reality. An exciting new DLC update has been released, introducing The Crown Prince of Crime to the game.
As the game’s first live season begins, players will have the chance to take on Green Lantern and, in the end, unlock The Joker as a playable character. Which Joker are you referring to? This is quite intricate. Furthermore, players can look forward to the inclusion of a Battle Pass, a variety of new shop items available for purchase, exciting Incursions and Strongholds to partake in, as well as an expanded selection of Infamy Sets and Notorious Gear to amass.
The Joker paints the town purple in #SuicideSquadGame's free DLC.
Update live today. pic.twitter.com/9BDNJTuxnD
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 28, 2024
What are your thoughts on this? Does the allure of The Joker entice you to return to Suicide Squad, or have you remained a loyal fan all along? We value your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
Gaming
Documentary Explores the Making of the Highly Praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for PS5
Square Enix has launched a captivating documentary series that explores the intricate process behind the creation of the highly praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. In the first episode, titled “Shaping the World,” the developer delves into the process of reimagining the expansive PS1 map of the original game into a vast sandbox for the PS5. The film includes personal stories shared by directors Naoki Hamaguchi and Tetsuya Nomura, as well as other important members of the team.
This reimagining of the all-time PlayStation classic was truly enjoyable. In our review, we praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for its ability to enhance the already impressive combat system of Remake. The game truly shines in its portrayal of an iconic RPG setting. If you have a deep appreciation for the original PS1 game and found enjoyment in Remake, then Rebirth’s character-focused adventure will surely captivate you from start to finish.
Gaming
Gran Turismo 7 for the PS5 and PS4 shows continuous improvement
While Sony may not classify Gran Turismo 7 as a live-service game, the team at Polyphony Digital certainly approaches it with a similar mindset. The game continues to impress with every new update, and although v1.44 may be smaller compared to previous versions, it still manages to enhance the already extensive content of this simulation racer.
The update, now available worldwide, introduces three new cars: the Audi R8 Coupé V10 Plus ’16, the Lamborghini Urus ’18, and the Toyota GT-One (TS020) ’99. Furthermore, it introduces three fresh events to World Circuits, an extra menu to conquer in the GT Café single-player campaign, and a collection of livery stickers inspired by the upcoming Highspeed Étoile anime, set to debut next week in Japan.
If you’re not already acquainted with Highspeed Étoile, you can watch a trailer right here. “Sony has announced that a collection of 26 stickers, consisting of 8 title logos and 18 main character stickers, will be made available for a limited time,” stated Sony on the PS Blog. In addition, Fukushima will be included as a backdrop in the title’s beloved photography mode.
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