(Associated Press via NewsEdge) Online computer gamers who spend countless hours slaying monsters and battling other virtual foes are now facing more worldly threats, including online predators and scammers who want to swipe their game accounts.
'City of Heroes' maker NCsoft will launch a program to warn its customers about real-world risks in the virtual universe of its games.
'It's a public environment where everyone can see and hear what's going on,' said NCsoft North America CEO Robert Garriott. 'The single biggest mistake people make is, they meet people online, and once they start communicating, they slip up.'
Though its 'PlaySmart' initiative is still in the early phase, the company hopes to include some basic guidelines in its packaging by the end of the year.
To guard against risks, NCSoft suggested that parents not only monitor and play the games with their children, but also be aware of the potential for social interaction that can include voice chat and text-message exchanges.
NCsoft's guidelines will be printed on small cards with the games as well as on NCsoft's Web site.
Other basic rules that apply to life in general: never give out credit card information, never offer personal information to other players, and never give passwords or account information to friends so they can play on the account.
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