Mixed Reality (MR) games, blending physical spaces with digital content, have transformed how we experience places and interact with technology. From the global phenomenon of Pokémon Go! to immersive heritage tours, these games offer a unique fusion of storytelling, exploration, and play. But as they reshape our world, they also raise urgent ethical questions.
The Ethics of Mixed Reality Games (ACM Games: Research and Practice 2024), a recent academic article authored by LoGaCulture David Millard and colleagues, delves precisely into these challenges, identifying five key ethical dimensions for MR games:
1. Claim Rights: Protecting the cultural norms and physical spaces where games are played, such as ensuring respect for sacred sites;
2. Duty of Care: Safeguarding players, including their physical safety and informed consent;
3. Social Justice: Promoting accessibility and inclusivity while preventing harassment or exploitation;
4. Privacy: Managing personal data responsibly, including concerns about surveillance;
5. Control: Ensuring player freedom and avoiding manipulative design practices.
In order to get a clearer glimpse of ongoing ethical struggles in the MR game space, the authors interviewed 17 MR game designers to uncover strategies they use to address these concerns. Their findings highlight 59 practical methods, from inclusive design and stakeholder involvement to real-time monitoring of games in action — for example, some designers train participants to navigate ethical challenges or use editorial processes to ensure honesty and fairness in gameplay.
While MR games hold great potential to enrich cultural and social experiences, the study emphasizes that existing ethical frameworks, such as those by professional organizations — like the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) — often fall short when applied to MR contexts. The authors argue for a more comprehensive approach — one that balances deontological ethics (rules for ethical actions) with virtue ethics (qualities of ethical individuals). The authors also caution against relying solely on rigid rules, urging designers to remain reflective and proactive in their ethical practices.
This paper concludes by calling for the development of robust ethical guidelines tailored specifically to MR games. As these technologies continue to evolve, they will demand not only innovative design but also a deep commitment to ethical responsibility, ensuring that the virtual enriches the real without compromising its integrity.
MR games are not just about play — they’re about how we navigate and share the spaces we live in. By addressing these ethical concerns, designers can ensure these experiences remain as enriching and transformative as they promise to be — ethical concerns that LoGaCulture shares.