University Honors

Video games have been synonymous with entertainment for years now, which has allowed business companies to ignore their ethical obligations. Companies exploit consumers in order to push the bottom line. While video games are approved by a rating board for in-game content, these boards often overlook the harmful tendencies that these games push, specifically those focused on gambling. Companies employ unethical strategies to manipulate their in-game content and conceal gambling principles, thereby maximizing their profits. This allows them to inflate profits and push predatory practices under the guise of ìengaging game contentî. I have reviewed existing research that includes financial earnings, strategy reports, and consumer responses, centered around two major sports video game companies, Electronic Arts (EA) and Take-Two Interactive (2K). I also used core Business Ethics and Principles readings to properly determine how and where unethical business strategies are being applied. My project is focused on analyzing these companies' financial and strategy reports to understand how gambling concepts affect company earnings and if they stem from unethical business practices. I used consumer behavior reports to further understand the effect these gambling practices are having on consumers. My project goes very in-depth in order to prove the unethicalness of these sports video game companies, and to attract attention to such malpractice that is being swept under the rug, quietly harming millions of video game enjoyers who are promised safe and ethical content.