ABOUT Penguin Domination 🐧

Spyware in games? No thanks!

This group focuses on the technical examination of software behavior in games and related platforms. Evaluations include the use of telemetry, analytics services, cloud storage systems, always-online requirements, and third-party integrations. Particular attention is paid to how data is collected, stored, processed, transmitted and how this affects functionality in offline or restricted network environments.

The reviews refer to established transparency and data protection standards, including the GDPR. All findings are based on observable network activity, client-side behavior, documented infrastructure components and publicly available technical evidence.

Review Criteria and Corrections

No assessments are made regarding entertainment value, gameplay experience or personal preference. The focus is on verifiable technical characteristics and their practical implications for users and developers.

Developers may provide technical documentation or clarification. Verified corrections and transparent implementation details are incorporated into the database and review summaries.

What does the group provide?

Technical analyses of data collection, telemetry, cloud systems, and network dependencies in games and clients.
Documentation of third-party service integrations and data processing workflows.
Guides and reference materials for configuring privacy tools, network controls, and host-based filtering.
Discussion of transparency standards, data protection regulations, and industry practices.
Resources to support informed decisions regarding software behavior and data flows.

Key Resources / Repository

Project Website[www.gameindustry.eu]
Additional documentation, steam tools, guides, reviews, hosts lists, database and technical reference

GitHub Repository[github.com]
Hosts files mirror

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POPULAR DISCUSSIONS

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RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

[EN|DE] Steam Captive Portal changed / geändert (Update 2)

April 29 - ペンギン | 2 Comments

Valve has switched their Captive Portal Endpoint. Those who haven't updated their hosts file or DNS filter are currently allowing telemetry to flow back to Valve again.

What’s Changed

Old Address:

test.steampowered.com

New Address:

steamconnecttest.com

The request opens a forced client connection when the Steam client starts, during ongoing client operation and when selected Unreal Engine titles launch. It's replacing, among other things, Epic Games' old Datarouter telemetry. This is combined with forced IPv6 queries that run in the same step.

What Users Should Do Now

Update hosts file, set new entry:

0.0.0.0 steamconnecttest.com

Pi-hole, AdGuard Home, NextDNS, OPNsense, or own resolver: Reload filter list so that Akamai Edge IPs are also captured, including areas
New IPv4:

2.20.12.103 2.20.12.102 or 2.20.12.102/31

Old IPv4:

23.200.3.0/24 23.216.77.0/24 23.32.238.0/24 23.46.156.0/24 23.53.40.0/24 23.53.41.0/24 23.55.163.0/24

GI-SteamCleaner, Website / Hosts data

If everything goes according to plan, an update of the data on the project page for SteamCleaner, the company catalog / product search and the filter lists will be released by May 1st. Quite a bit needs to be changed.

I'll update the announcement with the current date/post, a notice on the website and a status update via Steam.

DE

Valve hat den im Hintergrund aktiven Captive Portal Endpoint umgestellt. Wer seine Hosts Datei oder den DNS Filter noch nicht aktualisiert hat, lässt damit derzeit wieder Telemetrie an Valve zu.

Was sich geändert hat

Alte Adresse:

test.steampowered.com

Neue Adresse:

steamconnecttest.com

Der Request öffnet eine erzwungene Clientverbindung beim Start von Steam, während des laufenden Clientbetriebs, sowie zum Start ausgewählter Unreal Engine Titel und ersetzt dort unter anderem die alte Datarouter Telemetrie von Epic Games. Verbunden ist das mit erzwungenen IPv6 Abfragen, die im selben Schritt mitlaufen, an denen sich aber bisher noch nichts geändert hat.

Was Anwender jetzt tun sollten

Hosts Datei aktualisieren, neuen Eintrag setzen:

0.0.0.0 steamconnecttest.com

Pi-hole, AdGuard Home, NextDNS, OPNsense oder eigener Resolver: Filterliste neu laden, damit auch die Akamai Edge IPs erfasst werden, also Bereiche

IPv4 neu:

2.20.12.103 2.20.12.102 oder 2.20.12.102/31

IPv4 alt:

23.200.3.0/24 23.216.77.0/24 23.32.238.0/24 23.46.156.0/24 23.53.40.0/24 23.53.41.0/24 23.55.163.0/24

SteamCleaner, Webseite/Hosts

Wenn alles klappt, erfolgt eine Aktualisierung der Daten auf der Projektseite für den SteamCleaner, dem Firmenkatalog / Produktsuche, sowie den Filterlisten bis zum 1.ten Mai. Es muss einiges angepasst werden...

Werde die Ankündung dann mit aktuellem Datum/Beitrag ergänzen, eine Mitteilung auf der Webseite und eine Statusmeldung über Steam posten.

April 25 - ペンギン | 1 Comments

The past few weeks and months have been unusually packed. Here is a short overview of what has been happening in the background.

The focus has recently been on several software projects for Windows and Linux, running in parallel.

The most public of these is the GI-SteamCleaner, which has now reached version 2.5.0 with a stable feature set. The GI-SDR-Analyzer (reading and blocking Steam Datagram Relay connections) and the GI-WishList Cleaner (cleaning up the Steam wishlist) require no updates at this time.

Further tools are in development, with more details to follow at the right time. Among them is a web project for encrypted communication. Work also continues in parallel on the project site (extensive background work) and on several articles that will be published over time.

Some room in the calendar has opened up again. With that, the focus shifts gradually back to the core content of this group: game tests and reviews will resume in the near future.

You’ll find an overview of current projects and work in the linked What's next topic.

[DE]

Die letzten Wochen und Monate waren ungewöhnlich vollgepackt. Deshalb kurz, was im Hintergrund passiert ist.

Der Schwerpunkt lag derzeit bei mehreren parallel laufenden Softwareprojekten für Windows und Linux.

Das öffentlichste davon ist der GI-SteamCleaner, der mittlerweile bei Version 2.5.0 angekommen ist und damit einen stabilen Funktionsstand erreicht hat. Der GI-SDR-Analyzer (Auslesen und Blockieren von Steam Datagram Relay Verbindungen) sowie der GI-WishList Cleaner (Bereinigung der Steam Wunschliste) benötigen in ihrer aktuellen Form keine weiteren Updates.

Weitere Tools befinden sich in Entwicklung, zu denen es zu gegebener Zeit Genaueres geben wird, darunter ein Webprojekt für verschlüsselte Kommunikation. Parallel laufen die Arbeiten an der Projektseite (umfangreiche Hintergrundarbeiten), sowie an mehreren Artikeln weiter, die nach und nach veröffentlicht werden.

Aktuell ist wieder etwas Freiraum im Kalender. Damit verschiebt sich der Fokus schrittweise zurück auf den eigentlichen Kerninhalt der Gruppe: Es geht demnächst weiter mit weiteren Spieletests und Reviews.

Eine Übersicht der akuellen Projekte und Arbeiten findet ihr zukünftig im verlinkten What's next Thema.

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STEAM CURATOR

Penguin Domination 🐧 reviews

"Analyze software behavior, data handling, telemetry, cloud dependencies, network requirements, offline functionality. Technical assessments, not gameplay reviews."

Here are a few recent reviews by Penguin Domination 🐧

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371 Comments

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ペンギン

1 hour ago

Revised Subnautica by Unknown Worlds Entertainment, Inc. as well

Review Steam:
https://www.48675488.xyz/id/pen-chan/recommended/264710/

More detailed version (EN/DE):
https://gameindustry.eu/reviews/subnautica/

An early access test for Subnautica 2 will follow in the near future (soon™)

ペンギン

7 hours ago

The review of Orwell: Keeping an Eye On You by Daedalic Entertainment GmbH has just been updated. The datasets on the project page are also up-to-date.

Review Steam:
https://www.48675488.xyz/id/pen-chan/recommended/491950/

More detailed version (EN/DE):
https://gameindustry.eu/reviews/orwell-keeping-an-eye-on-you/

Ewo

May 13 @ 10:45am

From my perspective, everything just 404'ed, even the codeberg page where the blocklist was hosted, not even a message saying the project was abandoned. Good to know you're fine and this isn't because of legal pressure or something like that. Thanks for the update.

Ewo

May 13 @ 9:06am

The "Start a new discussion" button is visible for me now, thanks.

ペンギン

May 13 @ 8:11am

Heya Ewo,

In which section are you unable to post?

EXCONN has been dissolved because the creator is focusing more on real life now. I contacted him and let him know about the possibility of a statement.

You can also use the blocklists I've published on GitHub and the linked project site. Either in their entirety or in part. If you have any questions about this, just let me know here or via chat.

Ewo

May 13 @ 7:30am

I can't seem to post in the forum part so I'll have to ask here.

Anyone know where EXCONN has gone? it was a group with a similar focus as this one, and released a blocklist I used. They're vanished from steam and codeberg.

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