UNITY has entered into an agreement to merge with ironSource, which has developed malware installers.
Unity is a popular engine used to make games, but developers have expressed concerns over the latest news.
Hollow Knight – Team Cherry. A game built using Unity.
Those who are knowledgeable when it comes to computers know that malware is something you definitely want to avoid.
These are programmes which are often accidentally downloaded onto computers alongside files you wish to install.
Malware has a number of negative consequences once it’s on your harddrive.
These programmes often make your computers run slowly, bug out or crash, and they can also collect your private information and data.
According to PC Gamer, the way this works is that files people want to download are bundled in with malware files using a programme like installCore.
InstallCore, a product developed by ironSource, helps to hide innocuous files containing malware with names like DriverSupport or RegClean Pro, so that those who aren’t tech savvy mistakenly download them.
A popular example is when installCore was used by someone who disguised malware as a version of Snapchat for PC.
InstallCore is well known within the anti-virus community. Anti-virus software such as Windows Defender or Malwarebytes won’t allow you to download software which uses installCore.
In a blog post announcing the merger Unity said:
“Unity announced today that it has entered into an agreement to merge with ironSource, harnessing the company’s tools, platform, technology, and talent to form an end-to-end platform that enables creators to more easily create, publish, run, monetise, and grow live games and real-time 3D content seamlessly.”
Developers who use Unity to build their games have spoken out about their disappointment in this decision.
Many say they no longer have peace of mind that their games will not be bundled in with other intrusive software.
Since 2015, ironSource has moved away from installCore and moved on to monetisation of mobile apps.
The company merged with Supersonic, and acquired TapJoy. Both work on mobile advertising and in-game purchases.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Unity spent $4.4billion/£3.7billion to purchase ironSource.
It is likely that the company wants to increase profits via microtransactions and in-game purchases.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.
