Developers of match-3 games face criticism over advertisements accused of promoting "incredibly harmful" stereotypes and depicting gender-based violence

A recent report scrutinizes mobile game makers Microfun, Nanobit, and Magic Tavern for allegedly perpetuating harmful stereotypes and promoting gender-based violence in their ads.

According to coverage by Sky News, games like Project Makeover by Magic Tavern, Gossip Harbor by Microfun, and Hollywood Story by Nanobit have been accused of leveraging "very damaging" misogynistic themes to market their match-3 puzzle games within the UK.

Project Makeover's advertisement was flagged for depicting a scene where a man's actions force a woman into a makeover following a disrespectful incident involving the ashes of her deceased parent.

In Gossip Harbor, an ad shows a man abusing his family, prompting an option to either "Leave" or "Endure," while Hollywood Story features a narrative where a less conventionally attractive woman sabotages her partner by piercing a condom.

Sky News utilized data from Similarweb and AppMagic to estimate that these games saw a collective 67.7 million downloads last year, amassing $367 million globally via in-app purchases.

Sky further highlighted this as an example among many where mobile game companies use narratives of domestic abuse and female humiliation in advertising, although the actual games are simple puzzles unrelated to these themes.

Eliza Hatch from Cheer Up Luv, which campaigns against public harassment, commented, "When exposed to such themes, either subconsciously or consciously, it raises questions about the impact of downloading these games and engaging with such messages."

Microfun issued a statement, saying, "Our intent is to offer entertainment that is both safe and responsible. We acknowledge falling short here and sincerely apologize for any distress caused by our advertisements. The offending ads have been withdrawn and have been made inaccessible."

Nanobit, the company behind Hollywood Story, insisted their ads depict fictional scenarios meant to be playful and not harmful. They expressed regret if any offense was taken but maintained confidence in their ad regulatory compliance.

Magic Tavern chose not to provide a statement regarding the issue.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is aware of the ongoing advertising strategies linked to these games.

In September 2022, the ASA took actions against mobile game ads that were categorized as potentially causing significant or widespread offense.

Among others, a Twitter ad for Oasis Games' Refantasia: Charm and Conquer was criticized for sexism, featuring an "anime-style young woman in a cage." This highlights broader concerns regarding gender portrayals in game marketing.