The game Abstractism prides itself with minimalistic graphics and limited functionality - but leads to even more work for computers. The reason: In the background, crypto currencies are mined on and the players are ripped off.
A game that does not primarily use the computing power of the player PCs to display nice graphics, but presumably uses the CPU in the background to mine crypto currencies, has been removed from the Steam store. Previously, several players had reported fraudulent behavior. Abstractism is a so-called platformer, in which a character has to be maneuvered through a labyrinth.
The developers of Abstractism advertise with a minimalist design and an ASMR soundtrack. ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and is said to cause a tingling sensation on the scalp or neck. However, this game is more likely to evoke other emotions among the players when they notice the increased energy bill and the fully utilized processor. Shortly after the start, the processor load increases disproportionately, which does not make any sense given the actual range of functions of the game.
Stackoverflow-driven development
The game itself seems hastily cobbled together from a number of different development platforms. Among others, the game makes use of Construct 2 framework, which can be used to create HTML5-based games with little effort. In order for the game to be distributed via Steam, Greenworks is also used, says G DATA malware analyst Sascha Curylo.
The makers of Abstractism also try to rip off users in other ways. You can purchase various items in the game that look very similar to other games such as Team Fortress 2. In a game forum, those affected exchanged information about the fraud. G DATA security researchers have informed Steam about the fraud. As of now, Abstractism is no longer available via the platform.
With the ban from the Steam Store it becomes clear that another promise of the game developers is not tenable: Because allegedly there is no "Game Over".
