CICC temporarily bans GoreBox after Tacloban school shooting incident

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has temporarily banned the gaming application GoreBox following the school shooting in Tacloban City that left three students dead and 20 others injured.

In a post on Tuesday, June 23, the CICC said it temporarily banned the violent sandbox game after the incident, which has raised concerns over minors’ exposure to online games featuring firearms, gore, and violent simulations.

“We are blocking Gorebox temporarily as a precautionary measure pending the investigation. Within the day, expect the app to be blocked,” said CICC Undersecretary Aboy Paraiso.

“We cannot ignore possible online influences that may have contributed to this tragic incident. Temporarily blocking the game will allow authorities to conduct a thorough assessment and whether the platform played any role in the actions of the suspects,” he added.

In close collaboration with the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), the CICC’s Threat Monitoring Center (TMC) has also intensified its surveillance of online activities, including those involving GoreBox and similar platforms.

 “Among other applications, we will be conducting strict monitoring to gain greater visibility into online activities involving GoreBox,” said Paraiso.

The CICC chief also stressed that the agency’s response was not limited to temporary blocking the application, acknowledging that the deadly attack highlighted the growing need for vigilance in the digital space.

“Our priority is the safety and well-being of Filipino children exposed to the internet. Beyond this temporary ban, we are reinforcing our monitoring efforts to identify online spaces that may pose risks to young users and to ensure that appropriate interventions are made immediately,” said Paraiso.

The incident involved two suspects, aged 14 and 15, who carried out a shooting inside the San Jose National High School campus on Monday morning.

The move came after online reports said one of the suspects was reportedly engaged in playing GoreBox before the shooting.

“As per investigation natin, Gorebox,” Police Regional Office in Eastern Visayas (PRO-8) director Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy said in a phone interview.

Capoy compared the game to Roblox, saying GoreBox also involved shooting and firearms.

“Yes, just like Roblox, may laro may shooting, shooting din mga ganung firearms. Medyo bayolente po ’yung laro,” Capoy said.

But what exactly is GoreBox?

Based on its Play Store listing, GoreBox is a game published by F²Games. It has more than 10 million downloads, a 3.8-star rating, and around 260,000 reviews. The listing also shows that the game is rated for 18+, contains ads, and offers in-app purchases.

The game describes itself as a “chaotic, physics-driven sandbox game” where players can create, manipulate, and destroy objects in an open environment.

It also describes a world where players can use the “Reality Crusher” to spawn, manipulate, and obliterate anything they desire. The game description mentions brutal combat, weapons, explosives, realistic ragdoll physics, and an intense gore system that brings dismemberment to life.

GoreBox also allows players to design environments through a built-in map editor, explore community-created maps and mods, customize characters, and interact with non-playable characters or NPCs for role-playing and action-packed scenarios.

Its description also includes references to lifestyle items such as cigarettes and alcohol, as well as syringes with game-changing effects. It also mentions the “Uncoha Virus,” which can turn players or NPCs into mutants and spread a zombie-like infection across the game world.