One problem that has plagued the gaming community is negative attitude among gamers.
From first person shooters like Call of Duty, MOBAs like League of Legends, MMORPGs like World of Warcraft and even board games like Risk or Monopoly, relationships can become tense and often broken.
It boils down to the attitude between those playing: some are able to maintain a fun and playful attitude while others can be too competitive and serious. There are those who use games to wind down and relax, and there are those who expect to become professional gamers, at least when it comes to games like League of Legends and DOTA — considering the burgeoning following Esports have experienced in the past few years.
During these online matches I have been encouraged to commit suicide, urged to have an incestial relationship and threatened with physical violence all because a “teammate” is not happy with the outcome of the game — whether it is my fault of theirs.
The kicker is knowing that, more likely than not, I am twice their age and they wouldn’t have the guts to say half the things they say without the cloak of anonymity provided by the Internet.
There is a lot of buck passing in online gaming: it is never one teammate’s fault, but rather the rest of the team’s.
Internet trolls are as old as the world wide web, but in a entertainment sphere like video games it is counterproductive. While someone may leave a nasty comment on a Youtube video or on a new article online, it is still a one-sided conversation. But in gaming, it’s a conversation.
Online bullying needs to stop in general, but it is much easier for people to shirk any credibility to what a person says in a comment. Whereas in conversation it can seem much more personal, especially considering it happens in real time.
It is reason enough for many people to be turned-off games, either because they comment too personally or want to avoid them altogether.
Granted, nearly all gamers are guilty of trash-talking friends, but that is a different level of harassment. They are people you know, not strangers.
But even then, friendship can be ended through games. I have lost friends because of my tactics in Risk and Monopoly, games which require backstabbing to win. But it is the same attitude behind caustic online gamers that resulted in it. They could not take the game lightly. It was too serious of a matter for them, and losing was not an option in their minds.
Sometimes you flush, sometimes you bust, and most of the time you won’t know the outcome until the last half of a game — no matter what type.
As the adage goes: it’s just a game, so play it. But if you can’t separate entertainment from competition, recuse yourself.
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
