A new Unity survey found that 7 out of 10 players experience toxic behavior in multiplayer games. To combat this phenomenon, the company acquired the OTO platform. It allows you to analyze audio messages in game chats in real time and identify toxic users. The value of the transaction was not disclosed.
OTO will be integrated into Vivox, Unity’s service for voice and text communication in games. The company intends to use the platform to create a more positive and safe atmosphere in multiplayer projects.
According to Unity, OTO works “100 times faster than speech recognition tools” and is not tied to a specific language. The platform’s tools allow you to analyze the emotional tone and color of voice messages in real time and determine whether the behavior of a particular user needs attention from a moderator.
OTO technology uses machine learning and acoustic neural networks. The developers note that their platform is able to accurately determine not only specific words, but also intonations when communicating with people. At the same time, users will not be banned only on the basis of the data received — the final decision remains with the moderators.
Unity also shared the results of a survey conducted for the company by the analytical firm The Harris Poll. It turned out that 68% of the surveyed users from the USA face toxic behavior in online games. We are talking about hostile statements, threats, harassment and doxing (disclosure of personal data about a person without his consent).
Also, 67% of respondents noted that they may stop playing the game due to the presence of toxic users in it. At the same time, 92% agreed that special tools should be introduced to combat such behavior.