Interview Study: Security Challenges in Video Game Software Development

We are a research team from the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security in Germany. Our research is focused on examining how the video game industry addresses the multifaceted aspects of computer security and privacy within video games. Specifically, we are conducting online interviews to explore:

• The challenges that developers deal with when implementing security-related features, and the questions and difficulties that arise in the process.
• What video game publishers, producers and managers negotiate when working with studios in this regard.

Requirements for participating in this study are:

• You are fluent enough in English to interview with us
• You work or have worked on at least one project in the game development or the game publishing industry
• You are or have been involved in programming components, managing teams, or negotiating contracts that address security or privacy-related issues in, or that are more broadly part of, a video game product (e.g., networking and multiplayer, authentication, payment processes, game engine security, online account and player data privacy, anti-cheat measures, third-party integrations, intellectual property protection, client security, etc.)

This job offer to participate in our study involves two steps. First, we require you to fill out a survey in which we ask for and record some background and demographic data. Second, in the interview we will ask you questions such as what projects you were working on, what security components were used in those projects, what was your involvement in those components, and how and why those components were written the way they were. The interview will take about 60 minutes.

Your statements will be treated with strict confidentiality, and all study results will be published in anonymized and aggregated form only. For analysis purposes, we will record the interview for later transcription either by an internal automatic transcription service or by a GDPR-compliant third-party service. The recording will be deleted after finalizing the transcript.

We are offering several one-time spots in this study at a fixed $100 each via PayPal or an Amazon gift card. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.