Tirza Scheffer: Blog 6
Toxicity and violence in video games
My brother
used to spend a lot of time playing computer games like FIFA, GTA 5 and Call of
Duty. I would sit in my room and listen to what he was thinking. Most of the
time, these weren't friendly conversations, but rather aggressive interactions
filled with shouting, blaming, and swearing. At the time, I didn't think much
of it; I just found him loud and annoying.
I read an
article on Medium recently. It was called "Toxicity in Gaming Communities:
Addressing the Dark Side of Online Gaming" by WOTA (2023). It talks about
how a lot of online gaming environments, especially competitive ones, have
people using bad language, saying horrible things, being sexist, racist and
harassing others. The article explains how being able to stay anonymous and not
having to face people in real life can make it easier for people to be
aggressive and not have to deal with the consequences of their actions.
One part of
the article really stood out to me: "If toxic behaviour is seen as normal
in gaming spaces, people might not realise how harmful it is."
In other
words, when this type of behaviour becomes normal, players may start to think
it's okay, not just in games but also in other areas of life. This is especially
worrying for younger players who are still learning how to interact socially.
This can lead to younger players acting like this at school and becoming
bullies, without realising that this is wrong.
Even more
worryingly, people often ignore how harmful this behaviour can be. A lot of
people say things like, "It's just part of gaming" or "Don't
take it seriously".What's even more troubling is that people often dismiss
this toxicity. A lot of people say things like, "It's just part of
gaming" or "Don't take it seriously". This attitude makes it
even harder to deal with the problem. The article says that game developers and
platforms need to improve their moderation systems, make reporting easier, and
encourage better interactions.
I also
found a YouTube video of Gooba and Jetpack (2022) when I was looking into this
more. The YouTuber says that the way many games are designed, the fact that
they are competitive, and the stress and "us vs them" feelings
they can cause, can make players feel frustrated and aggressive. It also shows
that bad behaviour can spread quickly. If one person starts misbehaving, it's
likely that others will do the same.
Looking
back, I saw some of these things happen with my brother too. There were times
when he would leave his room feeling frustrated, not because he lost the game,
but because of how people treated each other. We shouldn't ignore that.
I think
that bad behaviour in gaming should be treated as a form of cyberbullying. The
fact that it takes place in a virtual world doesn't mean it doesn't have
real-life consequences. Players can feel worried, unsafe or even stop doing
something they once enjoyed. Gaming is fun, but only if you play with the right
people and treat everyone with respect.
References:
Gooba and Jetpack. (2022, 13 januari). The gaming community is toxic [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQMyrCcaPWI
Worl World the Abyss. (2023, 7 juni). Toxicity in Gaming Communities: Addressing the Dark Side of Online Gaming. Medium. https://medium.com/@wota_mmorpg/toxicity-in-gaming- communities-addressing-the-dark-side-of-online-gaming-723268aa29d
Thank your for sharing this, it really made me reflect on the topic too. I totally agree that toxicity in gaming gets excused way too often with excuses like “it is just part of the game". When in reality it can have serious emotional effects, especially on younger kids. What really stood out to me from what you wrote is the idea that toxic behavior in games can influence how someone acts in real life. I think we sometimes forget that these online environments are still social spaces and the way people treat each other there matters, just like in school.
ReplyDeleteI also liked how you pointed out that gaming can still be fun and meaningful, but only when people feel safe and supported. That is such an important message.
Hi! My brother games often too and i really recognize the loud and annoying part too haha, but luckily he mostly plays with his friends. But when he was younger I noticed too that it would make him more aggressive from time to time. I agree with you, we really should pay attention to adressing this problem instead of dismissing it.
ReplyDeleteWhoops, didn't see that I was commenting anonymously!
DeleteI love reading this, I agree with you that we should not ignore the consequences of playing this kind of games.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting your blog! I agree that the toxicity that is expressed in video games is a much bigger problem than people think. It is not "just a game so it is ok". It is unacceptable that people treat each other like this because of a simple game. From my own experience I can tell that the "gaming world" is very toxic and especially towards women. It is good that you speak up about this and spread awareness. I agree that the toxicity can be a form of cyberbullying and that this should be looked at more.
ReplyDelete