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posted by janrinok on Tuesday July 20 2021, @03:04AM   Printer-friendly
from the oh-wow-that-was-honest-work dept.

Ukraine warehouse packed with thousands of PS4s was actually a FIFA Ultimate Team bot farm:

A giant cryptocurrency farm in Ukraine that contained thousands of PlayStation 4 consoles was actually a FIFA bot farm.

Last week the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced it had shut down what was reported as a cryptocurrency mining farm that contained an incredible 3800 game consoles. Images showed racks of PS4 Slims (some claimed the photos showed PS4 Pros) - either way not the ideal hardware for a cryptocurrency farm.

It turns out the PS4s were being used to grind FIFA Ultimate Team.

According to an investigation by Ukraine business newspaper Delo, sparked by scepticism of the official claim about the farm being primarily about mining cryptocurrency, as well as the fact game discs can be seen protruding from PS4s in one of the pictures, what we're looking at in the photos is a bot farm that got stuck into the Ultimate Team grind, with the goal of selling accounts loaded up with in-game currency on the black market.

Delo said the Security Service of Ukraine has so far refused to comment on the revelation, citing the secrecy of the investigation. But the suggestion is these PS4 Slims, all controlled by PCs running bots, farmed Ultimate Team for profit.

Previously: Ukrainian Police Bust Cryptocurrency Mining Operation, Seize 3,800 PlayStation 4 Consoles.


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  • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday July 20 2021, @10:32AM (3 children)

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Tuesday July 20 2021, @10:32AM (#1158210)

    The micropayment to level up basically killed my interest in long term play games. Levels are fine, long term building for a few hours is ok but something you invest weeks or months in? That's not entertainment, that's work.

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  • (Score: 2) by looorg on Tuesday July 20 2021, @01:29PM (2 children)

    by looorg (578) on Tuesday July 20 2021, @01:29PM (#1158242)

    Plus you can't shake the sneaking suspicion that they are making the leveling process worse so you sort of "have to" buy the leveling boost just to at least make the process bearable.

    • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday July 20 2021, @01:48PM (1 child)

      by JoeMerchant (3937) on Tuesday July 20 2021, @01:48PM (#1158246)

      Well, games are for fun (are you listening Sony? Downloading updates on my PS3 is not fun) - and if it turns in to an unpleasant grind, why play?

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      • (Score: 2) by looorg on Tuesday July 20 2021, @05:16PM

        by looorg (578) on Tuesday July 20 2021, @05:16PM (#1158327)

        Once upon a time that was probably the case but now it seems more and more like games are becoming like little chores or a second (unpaid) job/internship.

        Why play indeed. I find myself playing less and less and it's not that I couldn't devote the time if I wanted to. But it just doesn't feel very fun anymore. There are clearly more and more games but they are not really better games, there is just more of everything (except fun).