I thought it would be fun to ask ChatGPT this question, so here’s the full exchange.
I used the prompt in French (cuz i’m French) but i’ve translated it in English for you guys.
USER : Hello ChatGPT, I have a moral question for you, but before asking you I would like to know if you know the game World of Warcraft?"
CGPT : Good morning ! Yes, I am familiar with World of Warcraft (WoW). World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) developed by Blizzard Entertainment, which was released in 2004. It takes place in a medieval fantasy universe where players play as characters of different races and classes, and they can explore a vast world, complete quests, face monsters, and interact with other players. If you have a moral question related to World of Warcraft, please ask, I will do my best to answer it.
USER : A month ago, Blizzard, the company that developed the game, decided to release a “Hardcore” mode. Do you understand what this means?
CGPT : Yes, I understand what a “Hardcore” mode means in the context of video games, including World of Warcraft. “Hardcore” mode (or “Hardcore Mode”) is usually a gameplay option that significantly increases the difficulty of the game and may also include elements of permadeath, meaning that if your character dies, they are permanently deleted and you must start from the beginning.
In the context of World of Warcraft or other similar games, a “Hardcore” mode may include challenges such as more powerful enemies, more severe penalties for character death, a more difficult game economy, or other factors that make the game much more demanding. Players who choose to play in “Hardcore” mode are generally looking for a more intense gaming experience and greater satisfaction when they successfully overcome these difficult challenges."
USER : In this specific case, Hardcore means “Perma-Death” nothing changes in the content of the game apart from this subtlety.
CGPT : Thanks for the precision. In this case, if “Hardcore” mode in World of Warcraft means “Perma-Death,” this means that players who choose this mode will have their character permanently deleted if they die in the game. This adds an element of significant risk to the gaming experience, as the death of a character in “Perma-Death” mode means the loss of all progress made with that character.
USER : Let’s come to my question: Before launching into this new “Hardcore” mode we must accept the terms and conditions drawn up by Blizzard which stipulate that “Whatever the event of your death, including lags, disconnections, server bugs We will never be able to revive your character, whatever the reason for your death.”
Do you understand this?"
CGPT : Yes, I understand perfectly. The terms and conditions you described state that in the “Hardcore” mode of World of Warcraft, in the event of the death of your character, whether due to technical problems such as lag, disconnections or server bugs, or for any other reason, Blizzard will not revive your character. This means that the death of your character in “Hardcore” mode is final, irreversible and Blizzard will not take action to restore your character or undo the death.
These terms and conditions are important because they clearly establish the rules of play in “Hardcore” mode and inform players of the risks and consequences of playing in this mode. They also ensure that players are fully aware that their character’s death is a final event and that Blizzard will not intervene to correct or undo that death, regardless of the circumstances.
Players who decide to play in “Hardcore” mode must be prepared to accept these conditions and take responsibility for their character in a game environment where death is permanent.
USER : Yesterday, 09/23/2023, a technical problem occurred on the Blizzard company’s servers which caused the death of nearly 2000 players in this “Hardcore” mode.
The vast majority of players who were in the game and in combat at that time all died due to this technical problem which was completely beyond their control.
No one couldnt to do anything to avoid dying.
Does this exceptional event fall within the terms and conditions signed before playing? Could the fact that the responsibility is 100% attributable to Blizzard (the company that maintains this game) constitute a “revision” of the terms and conditions to reanimate these players to death because of this exceptional situation?
CGPT : When it comes to exceptional situations like the one you described, where a technical problem on Blizzard’s servers caused the death of many players in “Hardcore” mode completely unintentionally on their part, this can raise questions of justice and ethics.
Typically, a game’s terms and conditions, once agreed to by players, establish the rules of the game and define the consequences of players’ actions. However, in exceptional circumstances where a major technical problem beyond the players’ control results in the death of their characters, it may be considered unfair to maintain strict application of these terms and conditions.
In such situations, it is possible that Blizzard, as the company responsible for the game and its servers, decides to take exceptional measures to remedy the situation. This may include reviving characters who died due to the technical glitch or other forms of compensation. However, this would entirely depend on Blizzard’s policy and willingness to be flexible in these exceptional circumstances.
It is important to note that video game companies usually have customer support teams to handle such situations and make decisions on a case-by-case basis. Affected players should therefore contact Blizzard customer support for information on the actions taken by the company in response to this particular incident. Final decisions will depend on Blizzard’s policy and will in this matter.
Well, ChaGPT is on our side.
Even an AI has more emotions than Blizzard.