Video games have come a long way since they gained widespread popularity in the 1970s – and the numbers of people playing them have rocketed. Today, it is estimated that there are about 3 billion gamers worldwide, including more than 90% of gen Z, who spend on average more than 12 hours a week gaming. Modern gaming epics are packed with imagination and invention, drawing young people into noisy, colourful, and often seemingly infinite worlds that they can shape and develop themselves.
It’s this blossoming creative skill set that criminals have begun to target – hiding within popular online games to spot children and teenagers who’d make prolific hackers.
