Axios

Artful depictions of sex have a crucial place in video games because of how they allow people to examine their ideas of romance and relationships, according to one developer.

Driving the news: Designer and writer Sharang Biswas gave a Game Developers Conference talk exploring how sex is, and can be, depicted in games.

There are four major reasons why people cheat in online video games and even more ways to stop them, according to Clint Sereday and Nemanja Mulasmajic, leaders of an anti-cheat gaming company called Byfron, who gave a talk at GDC, Stephen writes.

Why it matters: Game studios are in a perpetual conflict with cheaters, with the biggest games regularly banning thousands of accounts in an effort to stop cheating from scaring off the rest of the player base.

Google on Wednesday said it inked a multi-year deal with Spotify that allows Spotify users to pay for their subscriptions using an alternate billing system that isn't Google's, so long as users still have the option to use Google's system.

Why it matters: The Spotify deal is the first partnership in a bigger Google pilot program with other developers. The pilot program marks an important milestone for app developers that have long argued app store fees are too high, and as a result, anti-competitive.

Venerable Seattle software maker RealNetworks is making its first foray into hardware, with a face recognition system businesses can use to control entry to doors.

Why it matters: Keycards remain the dominant system for controlling building access, but remain vulnerable to card swapping, tailgating and other workarounds.

A new social network, backed by AARP, aims to bring seniors together, focusing on discussions around common interests.

Why it matters: While some may joke that Facebook is already the social network for seniors, the new effort aims to offer a community explicitly for older Americans looking to connect with one another.

Growing global demand for chips has semiconductor companies scrambling to hire engineers and other skilled workers in the U.S. amid a nationwide labor shortage and international supply chain disruptions.

Why it matters: A labor shortage could dampen the U.S. semiconductor industry's expected growth, just as policymakers are trying to boost funding for domestic manufacturing.

Internet-connected devices are reshaping the way we recreate and entertain ourselves at home, enhancing everything from movie-watching to gaming to working out.

Why it matters: The pandemic has acclimated us to living more of our lives in our houses and apartments. Now, manufacturers of everything from televisions and sound systems to treadmills are trying to bring the sophisticated experience of a professional movie theater or gym into our living rooms.

Minority-owned small and medium sized businesses were more likely to close than the U.S. average, according to Meta's latest Global State of Small Business Report.

Why it matters: The new research, released on Wednesday, adds to the evidence that the pandemic has disproportionately harmed minorities.

A hacking group that previously took responsibility for attacks on Nvidia and Microsoft claimed Monday that it had compromised Okta, which provides "single sign-on" identity services to thousands of companies.

Driving the news: Okta confirmed Tuesday there was an incident in January where hackers used a customer support worker employed by a third-party company to gain some access to Okta's systems.