Gamesfanatic.com Redirect

What is gamesfanatic.com?

GamesFanatic is a dubious application that supposedly enables users to search the Internet for games reviews, latest updates, etc. - "Games Fanatic offers you the latest on all the best games. You can easily search the web, find news, reviews and updates about the top games for your PC, mobile or console. It's free and safe to use, right from your browser's new tab page!"

This application may seem legitimate and useful, however, it is categorized as a browser hijacker and potentially unwanted program (PUP). GamesFanatic stealthily infiltrates Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox and modifies browser settings. In addition, it collects information relating to users' Internet browsing habits and may display intrusive ads.

GamesFanatic modifies the browser default search engine, new tab URL, and homepage settings by assigning them to the gamesfanatic.com website. Furthermore, it installs small apps (called 'helper objects') developed to prevent users from reverting these changes.

In doing so, GamesFanatic significantly diminishes the Internet browsing experience - when users attempt to search the Internet or open new browser tabs, they are automatically redirected to gamesfanatic.com. In addition, this app might display intrusive online advertisements (mostly in-text) that redirect to rogue sites containing infectious content.

Clicking these ads could result in further computer infections. Futhermore, GamesFanatic collects various Internet browsing-related information including Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, websites visited, pages viewed, search queries, Internet service provider (ISP), browser type, etc.

This information might contain personally identifiable details and could be misused by third parties to generate revenue - behavior leading to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. You should uninstall GamesFanatic from your system immediately.

GamesFanatic is a version of TuneFanatic and MoviesFanatic. It is also similar to other browser hijacking apps that claim to be legitimate. For example, safebrowsesearch.com, cassiopesa.com, and super-page.com.

Browser hijackers offer various useful features to trick users to install. These apps are developed to cause unwanted browser redirects, collect personally identifiable information, and display intrusive online advertisements. They are useless to the user.

How did gamesfanatic.com install on my computer?

GamesFanatic is commonly distributed using a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' - stealth installation of third party apps with the chosen software.

Many users do not pay enough attention when downloading/installing software and skip some/all of the steps. Bogus applications are usually concealed within the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings, and by skipping this section, users inadvertently install potentially unwanted programs such as GamesFanatic.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

There are two main steps that you should take to avoid installation of apps such as GamesFanatic.

Firstly, closely observe each step of the software download procedure and ensure that only the chosen software is downloaded. Secondly, all software should be installed using the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' options - this will reveal any bundled apps listed for installation and allow you to opt-out.

Website promoting GamesFanatic browser hijacker:

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Quick menu:

• What is gamesfanatic.com?
• STEP 1. Uninstall gamesfanatic.com application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove gamesfanatic.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove gamesfanatic.com browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove gamesfanatic.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove gamesfanatic.com redirect from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Gamesfanatic.com browser hijacker removal:

Windows 11 users:

Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.

Windows 10 users:

Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.

Windows 7 users:

Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.

macOS (OSX) users:

Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.

In the uninstall programs window: look for any recently-installed suspicious applications (e.g., "GamesFanatic"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs that cause browser redirects to the gamesfanatic.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Gamesfanatic.com browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove browser redirects:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for "GamesFanatic", and other recently-installed suspicious browser extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://www.gamesfanatic.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer. You can also enter about: blank to open a blank page when you start Internet Explorer.

Change your default search engine:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". In the opened window, select "Search Providers", set "Google", "Bing", or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove "gamesfanatic".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the gamesfanatic toolbar, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.

Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.

In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.

Click the Reset button.

Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate "GamesFanatic" and "Search App for GamesFanatic", select these entries and click the trash can icon.

Change your homepage:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, click "set pages", hover your mouse over hxxp://www.gamesfanatic.com and click the x symbol. Now, you can add your preferred website as your homepage.

Change your default search engine:

To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search" section, click "Manage Search Engines...", remove "GamesFanatic" and add or select your preferred domain.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the gamesfanatic toolbar, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon  (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.

After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions" and remove "GamesFanatic" (and other recently-installed browser plug-ins).

Change your homepage:

To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://www.gamesfanatic.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.

Change your default search engine:

In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "gamesfanatic.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with gamesfanatic toolbar removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.

Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.

Select Troubleshooting Information.

In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.

Remove malicious extensions from Safari:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...

In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.

In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.

In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.

Optional method:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...

In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.

Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.

Change your homepage and new tab settings:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".

Change your default Internet search engine:

To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the gamesfanatic toolbar, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.

In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.

Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

• If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.

Summary:

A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.

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