Baby Shaker

About

Baby Shaker is a single-player iOS game where players use their device’s motion sensor to mimic the act of shaking an infant to silence crying. The objective is to stop the simulated child’s wailing by shaking the phone until two X-like symbols appear on the screen. The gameplay is intentionally simple but leans heavily on a darkly humorous concept that blurs the line between absurdity and real-world sensitivity. Released in 2009, the game was removed from the App Store within 48 hours after sparking widespread backlash. Advocacy groups linked to Shaken Baby Syndrome criticized it for trivializing a serious medical condition, with Apple calling the app “deeply offensive.” Despite its brief lifespan, it remains a notable example of how quickly tone-deaf design can escalate into controversy. The incident highlighted the risks of using real-world trauma as a gameplay mechanic, even in satirical contexts.