The Internet is dark and full of terrors (Game of Thrones reference, we had to). That, and idiotic online challenges. One of them is the “Momo Suicide Challenge” and now it has infected the world of Minecraft. At least it did until Microsoft decided to lay down the law.
For those that may not know what the Momo Suicide Game even is, it’s a challenge that originated on WhatsApp that allegedly began in Japan. A YouTuber even recently made a video about the game warning people of how it preys on the “weak” following a 12 year old’s suicide that was thought to be linked to the internet challenge.
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The challenge eventually went viral and encouraged participants to hurt themselves physically, sometimes even taunting suicide. While the investigation of the 12-year old Argentina girl’s tragic death is still ongoing, Microsoft is taking the necessary steps to keep this toxicity out of their game.
A recent mod appeared donning an avatar made to look like “Momo” whose sole purpose is to chase down other Minecraft players. The in-game character can also be seen holding a phone with the WhatsApp icon logo on it. The team at Microsoft called the latest mod “sick” in a recent statement made to Fox News saying, “This content, which was independently developed by a third party, does not align with our values and is not part of the official Minecraft game. This is a misuse of the platform and we are taking action to restrict access to the mod.”
The Microsoft spokesperson didn’t not say how soon the restriction would take place but following numerous police reports urging parents to be aware of the potentially dangerous online “challenge,” it’s likely that we’ll see permanent action being made swiftly.
“WhatsApp cares deeply about the safety of our users,” a WhatsApp spokesperson told Fox News earlier this month. “It’s easy to block any phone number and we encourage users to report problematic messages to us so we can take action.”
What do you think about the latest spread of this challenge? Do you agree with the police that it could be linked to a much larger concern, especially for younger gamers? Minecraft is a game targeted for a younger audience, after all. Share your thoughts on the latest development in the comment section below.
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