Fair Play Policy
At Next Games, we believe in putting players first. This means making the safety and well-being of our players our number one priority.
To ensure a fun, safe, and fair playing environment for everyone, this Fair Play Policy outlines the behaviors and actions which we define as disruptive and harmful, and how we define misconduct. The policy is comprehensive but not exhaustive, meaning that we reserve the right to take action in respect of matters not listed here. We are also open to your thoughts and feedback about how we can make our policies more clear.
This document supplements Next Games’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Any breaches of our terms will lead to an investigation, and may result in sanctions such as suspension, revocation of in-game resources, or a permanent ban without prior warning or notice.
You can help us to create a great gaming environment by keeping the following in mind:
Offensive or disruptive behavior
Arguments or disagreements happen in all walks of life, we understand that. However, abusive behavior directed towards any other player or Next Games staff member will not be tolerated. Please note that this applies to the language used in your player, survivor, club, and guild names as well.
Offensive and toxic behavior includes, but is not limited to:
General misconduct in chat
- Hate speech, racism, and other discriminatory language
Do not attack people based on race, skin color, sexual orientation, gender, disability, religion, neurological status, or other factors. This includes using racial slurs or medical diagnosis as insults.
- Threats or harassment
Do not threaten harm or violence against other players. Do not create witch hunts or “call-outs” of other players, and do not approach other players for personal or romantic reasons if they have indicated that they are not interested. If a player asks you to stop talking to them, respect their wishes.
Excessive swearing
- Bullying
Do not bully other users for their playing ability, level, gender, or anything else. All players are equal! Bullying of any kind will not be tolerated.
- Inappropriate interactions with minors
Do not send inappropriate or vulgar messages or images to any player that you know or suspect is under the age of 18. If you are unsure of a player’s age, assume they are under 18 or ask them first.
- Doxxing
Do not post personal information of another player, member of Next Games’s staff, or anyone else. This includes full names, birthdays, addresses, personal contact info, and any other information that the person has not willingly shared.
If you encounter instances of such behavior, or if you are the victim of abuse, please report it to us by submitting a support ticket from the game, or by messaging us on our community platforms. Players submitting false reports may also be subject to the above-mentioned sanctions.
Cheating & exploiting
Using third-party software or manipulating your connection to our servers to gain unfair advantages or resources is considered to be a very serious offense.
Examples of cheating/exploits (Note: These are examples but not a comprehensive list):
Hacks, “mods”, or programs that alter game functionality
Bots or any gameplay automation services/scripts
Manipulating your connection to our servers for unfair benefits
Refund abuse (Repeatedly asking for refunds)
Using tools or techniques to alter or falsify your location (“spoofing”)
Account trading & sharing
Selling, buying, or sharing game accounts is not endorsed by Next Games. Such practices may expose your personal & private information, and place you at risk of financial fraud. We cannot guarantee the security of any account that has been passed from one player to another. Additionally, we reserve the right to impose sanctions on any account that has been transferred between players.
Other violations
Impersonating Next Games staff, their friends or relatives, or any public figure.
Phishing other players’ accounts
Knowingly exploiting a bug
Encouraging others to break the rules
Forming witch hunts or “brigades” against other players, guilds, clubs, or communities.
Misusing in-game chat and community spaces for advertising, spamming, scamming, or pushing a political agenda
Asking for, or providing personal contact information
Reminder: Next Games staff will never ask you for your credit card information, passwords or any other private information that is not related to your game account. If you are in doubt about whether or not you are talking with someone from Next Games, contact our official support channel.
Consequences of misconduct
For the majority of cases, the first offense will result in a warning, followed by a 7-day suspension, and repeated offenses will result in a permanent ban. All cases are however evaluated on an individual basis by our staff, and for example, severe offenses such as targeted harassment or inappropriate behavior towards a minor might result in an immediate, permanent ban.
How do I dispute a ban?
If you believe your account has been banned without good cause, please submit a in-game support message with the tag #xx_PenaltyAppeal (xx being the game in question; OW for Our World, NML for No Man’s Land, ST for Stranger Things) – we will undertake a thorough review of the issue, and contact you as soon as possible.
How do I report suspected violations of these rules?
Our games and community spaces are meant to be fun, fair, and safe for everyone to play in and enjoy. If you witness behavior which is in violation of our Code of Conduct, please report the incident to our support team via the link in-game or here (remember to select the appropriate game from the top) with a clear description of what has happened and any screenshots you may have. We will undertake a thorough review of the issue, and take all necessary actions.
Final note
Not being aware of the rules is not a valid excuse for breaking them. Help us make our games, as well as our community platforms, a fair and welcoming space. Respect our Terms of Use and Fair Play Policy, and encourage others to do the same.