Ubisoft launched its new Fair Play program today, which has been made with the express purpose of fostering positive in-game interactions. As an extension of Ubisoft Connect, the beta version of the program features learning capsules that will provide players with resources to understand the effects of their disruptive behavior in-game.
"Disruptive behavior in games is an issue we take seriously and that we believe should be tackled through multiple approaches," said Ubisoft's Player Safety director Jérémy Marchadier in a press release. "We believe that education and the promotion of positive play are paramount to inducing a positive shift in players’ experience.”
Combating toxicity in and out of games has been a focus amongst game developers this year. Last month, Microsoft revealed it took action against 5 million Xbox accounts this year, and games like Overwatch 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II required players give their phone numbers, and threatened them with suspended accounts if they engaged in rude behavior while playing.
Included in the Fair Play learning capsules are an explanation of what makes players become toxic in-game, along with a self assessment for players to see the situations that can push them towards behaving how they do, along with tips on how to react to that behavior.
The Fair Play program launches alongside the release of a reputation program in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, which will allow players to clearly see how their behavior is impacting their fellow players.
It also follows Ubisoft's research project with Riot Games—launched in November—to research and detect harmful content in games. Ubisoft's press release for Fair Play references that project, calling them both "a continuation of Ubisoft’s bigger journey of creating gaming structures that foster more rewarding social experiences and avoid harmful interactions."