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Who here has quit gaming because of the rise in toxicity?

Optimus Lime

Optimus Lime

(L3) + (R3) | Spartan rage activated
'Gaming culture' in 2017 is a flaming garbage fire of toxicity and idiocy. This is true. I find it completely exhausting - there is no topic that is not tainted by screeching, blabbering morons.

Which is why I'm slowly withdrawing from multiplayer games, and only using things like Reddit or what have you as a news aggregator. I really have to remind myself not to participate in most gaming-dedicated spaces, I just don't comment and let the idiots fight amongst themselves.

And, I'm focusing more on single player and co-op experiences, which just don't seem to attract the same level of insanity. I've just had a really lovely weekend revisiting No Man's Sky, and just wandering around on my own enjoying myself. Blissful. Later, if I feel like playing something with another human, I might play a bit of Warframe, where I'm not going to be insulted or attacked.

You don't have to quit gaming, OP. Just be smart about what it is, and where you should dedicate your time and energy.
 
G

GamerJM

Banned
I agree that it's not really that hard to disassociate most games from the gaming community itself. Games themselves are problematic but not to the degree that it would make me want to quit the hobby or anything.
 
H

hydruxo

Member
Why don't you just ignore the gaming community side of gaming? It seems like that's what's causing the issue here, not gaming itself. It's just a hobby, I've never taken it too seriously and let the negativity get to me. There's "toxicity" in everything if you look for it, but if you do then you'll have nothing left to enjoy.
 
GHG

GHG

Gold Member
Play the single player games you want and ignore the shit you read on the internet.

It seems illogical to quit a hobby you personally enjoy because of other people. Fuck other people, you do you.
 
T

TsunamiOfSwagger

Member
Pretty much cracking a nut with a sledgehammer? Bit of overkill is it Not?
If you've had enough of gaming, then fair enough. I seem to have cut back a bit myself recently. But to cut back because of political reasons? Just keep clear of online only games and perhaps go retro, pick up a single player game and enjoy it.
 
S

StrategyFan

Member
i have hated playing voice-chat games on US servers during the past year

the far right nutjobs just make it a miserable time. yes, we can mute, but some games actually require teamwork
 
O

Orbis

Member
It doesn't sound like you're gaming at all, you are simply reading the internet and watching videos. Pick up a controller, or a keyboard and mouse and actually play some damn games. If you're solely into chat based multiplayer then I could see your point though.
 
J

JackAubrey

Member
Maloney said:
Eh, I'm 47 and been playing since I was 12. Was there for the birth of online on pc, Xbox live etc etc... Sometimes you find great people, which makes it an amazing experience.

Nowadays I play single player almost exclusively as I can't be bothered with all the trash.

I stick to Neogaf for news as it's pretty well managed. Even then I mainly just lurk.

Hey ho, just the way it is I guess. I don't really feel bad about it.

I feel bad for my kids who play crappy games on their tablets and think its perfectly fine to spend half there time watching ads every few minutes. Glad I was around before that phenomenon.
Click to expand...

44, similar experience. In fact I used to be a games journo. I rarely play online now, XBL compared to the early days is toxic. Game forums are full of kids who've gone Nazi because their crush won't touch their peepee.

There was a point when I left gaming press that I felt burnt out by games. Not a surprise when I got threats of violence against my children because of a review I wrote. But what can you do if you're in your late 30s and trying to appeal to a reader that largely doesn't exist, they just want to bitch about the score, not the hundreds of words you've struggled over.

Gradually my love for games returned after I left. But the online environment - forums and in-game is not what it was. I miss how friendly games with randoms were in the early X360 days. And so now I'm almost always playing single-player. Though I will dabble online in games such as SW:BF that don't need voice chat.

My point, such as it is, is to keep the gaming. Just divorce yourself from online gaming culture.
 
L

L Thammy

Member
The community, and the worst of it is probably the player community rather than the developer community, is toxic. That doesn't mean the games themselves are. People are becoming more aware and working towards improving them. Good people leaving the gaming community isn't helping anything. If anything, they need to be more influential and more willing to call out bullshit.
 
L

Lime

Member
"Both sides" in the OP

People are getting terrorized and you are calling the victims equal to their oppressors? Have some perspective and empathy please
 
Chinbo37

Chinbo37

Member
I don't play tons of games but I play a fair amount.

My gaming is limited to single player or co op with my friends. I don't watch streams or anything else.

The only toxic things I hear about is if they are reported on GAF.
 
A

AlexBasch

Member
Jackstin said:
Maybe just give up the wider gaming culture. Websites, forums, articles etc.

Make it a personal thing you enjoy rather than an ecosystem.
Click to expand...
It's something I have been doing for the last couple of years.

Reading some stuff in GAF, like articles and stories of people having less than a stellar time online has diminished my interest in videogames because of all the shitty toxic culture associated with it, either lack of representation, sexism, transactions, you name it. Kinda feels like I had a sheltered view of the hobby and once I looked deep into it, I kinda realised I don't like it that much anymore. It's pretty much why I have given up on online gaming lately. Used to enjoy Overwatch on my solo quickplay until I learned the community is pretty fucking trash against women and people in general.

So yeah, it's either "be a man and grow a thicker skin" or "you know what, I really don't want to deal with this shit in my life".
 
ElRenoRaven

ElRenoRaven

Gold Member
I came close but eventually I made some of the best friends I could ever make. We play almost every damn night. Most of them on Friday the 13th. A couple play Overwatch also. If it weren't for my PS4 and them my life would be a very lonely life. It allows me to interact with them more then going down to WrestleCircus every month or two would. So I'm actually grateful for gaming and the bond it's created with these folks.

Another thing that helps is I quit reading the bullshit. I just want to play games and occasionally talk about them. I have learned that I can't help that some people who also share my hobby are pieces of shit. That's the case with any hobby though sadly. You're gonna have people that are vile and disgusting human beings that partake in any hobby you have. You can let that destroy your love of the hobby or you can be like screw them and enjoy your hobby.
 
D

DieAntwoord

Banned
Orbis said:
It doesn't sound like you're gaming at all, you are simply reading the internet and watching videos. Pick up a controller, or a keyboard and mouse and actually play some damn games. If you're solely into chat based multiplayer then I could see your point though.
Click to expand...

I try to game but it's just the exposure of it all that's turning me away from it all. I want to game, but all I think of when I play anything is how everything I'm interested in has a stigma attached to it
 
Seijuro

Seijuro

Member
I would never quit gaming because of this, as gaming itself has no part in the toxicity. That's just the wider culture and social (media) aspect of gaming. I occasionaly quit forums etc for a few weeks if some things bother me. But gaming itself can be done as isolated as you want it to be.
 
BouncyFrag

BouncyFrag

Member
I'd recommend a break from following politics and all its trappings via social media and focus more on family, friends, hobbies, etc. These are things you have direct control over and can positively impact you as well as the people around you.
 
S

Sad Affleck

Member
Unless engaging with the community is more fun for you than playing the actual games this seems like a massive overreaction to me. I would never let a bunch of manbabies determine my choices and my hobbies. Fuck them.
 
W

Widge

Member
nicanica said:
I'm just someone who plays video games now.
Click to expand...

This. I've pretty much detached myself from the culture side of a lot of things I enjoy.

Football ⚽️ is full of BANTS idiots and worse. Nerd culture seems to have succumbed to a ceaseless meme factory and herd following. Gaming seems to have a lot of petulance.

I don't need to be a part of any of that to enjoy it.
 
A

Auto-Reply

Member
Gaming? Nah!

Online gaming? I actually did but for different reasons...so also nah, but thinking about it this would be a very good reason to do so.

I mean you don't have to participate in controversial topics/stories around gaming on the internet. You don't even have to read about related news. I feel like it's sometimes best to ignore what's popping up here and there and be it only for your own sanity/piece of mind.
 
V

Vormund

Member
I'm currently in a group playing BF1 on XB1. It's great, we all talk shit to each other, don't take it too seriously and have a good laugh.

There is a lot of good, you just need to filter out the bad.

Overwatch PC sounds like a bit of a cesspool atm, maybe just disable comments and voice chat if possible.

I have messages blocked from anyone not on my friends list as well, that helps.
 
C

cordy

Banned
It's easy for me to ignore the comments from others when it deals with me playing, I don't even go into voice chat for example, taken care of. Basically, I take it back to how it was when I was a kid before Xbox Live came out and before I was heavily invested into game sites. When it comes to a title, I just immerse myself in the game and let that be it. If I wanna go online? I play with others but I don't communicate because to me the best way to play the game is just to enjoy it like I did when I was a kid.

That's why I do it, it depends on the person. I isolate the game from the social community around it.
 
R

ramoisdead

Member
I like video gaming. I just brush off toxicity but not participating in it. I play with friends I know, either from GAF or real life. Plus, I mostly play single player games so I dodge it as much as I can.
 
S

Sparrowhawk

Member
I've quit most competitive multiplayer games. I played Overwatch every day for a while until the community got worse than CS:GO. I just wish people wouldn't get so salty over video games.
 
T

Terrell

Member
I don't play games with random people online anymore and stick strictly to people I know for a similar reason. Beyond that, GAF is my only outlet to gaming culture more often than not, with a VERY small handful of YouTubers. And even some discussions here that I'm sure will push me to dislike the hobby I just avoid or limit my engagement in. It's been the best thing I've ever done.

Just because you have a hobby does not mean you are obliged to engage in the culture surrounding it, especially because it will more often than not disappoint you, given the human race's propensity to spoil a good thing.
 
CEJames

CEJames

Member
Astarte said:
I like videogames because I can play fun minigames with Winnie the Pooh and fight a very handsome brown man with lightsabers in the same game. Other people being dicks can't stop Winnie the Pooh being adorable so I'm fine playing games
Click to expand...

.
 
N

Nev

Banned
Manchild dramas on the internet don't stop me enjoying my single player games.

Quitting your hobby because of some angsty kids and superflous outrages, lmao.

Who the fuck cares about that garbage? Can't you just ignore it? Because I sure can.

Maybe you don't like videogames too much.
 
FingerBang

FingerBang

Member
I think you're overreacting. Just go back to play games by yourself or with close friends. That's what I've been doing since I was a kid, and nothing really changed.

Ignore people and keep doing what you love.
 
F

FRS1987

Member
Vormund said:
Overwatch PC sounds like a bit of a cesspool atm, maybe just disable comments and voice chat if possible.

I have messages blocked from anyone not on my friends list as well, that helps.
Click to expand...

A little offtopic but I did this once because I was talking to friends on discord and forgot to enable it again and it made the game 1000 times more peaceful. My friend was pissed at me because he was yelling over the mic at me to do something and I didn't even notice. He's a toxic player though so I stopped playing with this friend and would much rather solo queue. He tries to order people around like he's a leader and call shots and tell people to play other classes. It always makes me cringe so I avoid playing with him at all costs.
 
A

Aroll

Member
Change how and where you consume gaming culture.

A lot of things your talking about are not exclusive to gaming. Welcome to the Internet. You can't talk about anything, gaming or otherwise, on a public platform without it being filled with thousands of trash talking idiots. Some of those trash talking idiots even make their own platform to
Do it from, making it worse.

But, increasingly, there are so many outlets and avenues that aren't like this. Many Patreon communities are uplifting (hello easy allies) and there are YouTube channels that take the conversation off the platform of YouTube to great success. Siftd has a great community too. You can't do a lot about idiots online in game, save developing a good core of folks you want to game with - which can be done with overwwtch.

You choosing to not spend money to support that culture makes no difference because gaming didn't create it. The rise of the Internet and the ability to be anonymous has lead to people being more willing to act stupid, and likewise it brought together more people, making it easier to run into bigots, sexists, and the like that you may not encounter offline often.

On the flip side, supporting gaming helps people with mental disorders, inspires people to do great things, helps people overcome fears and depression, provides healthy escapism, and helps couples meet and get happily married, have quality conversations about things you may not otherwise think about, and obviously provide endless entertainment for millions .


Let me tell you - I'm a huge sports fan and it's not hard online or even st a bar to find people that make me as a fan seem terrible. But there are so many good stories too. You have to be smarter online to curate your choices of gaming culture.

There are times I thought about leaving GAF in the past, I just learned to avoid threads about certain topics. Suddenly, things became a lot better here for me.
 
A

Aters

Member
To avoid toxicity, you should quit GAF rather than quit gaming. If you just play your games and don't give a fuck about anything else, there won't be any toxicity.
 
F

Fahzgoolin

Banned
Honestly, the deranged behavior of many toxic environments in online games is basically a meme. They like acting like a goon or evil jerk because people in general find it amusing and funny to rile others up. I can't take it seriously because it's too often just antagonistic nay saying and behavioral sarcasm/trolling.

I understand why people will be upset. It affects me sometimes. But in the end, I love video games and the memories with other people.

Aroll said:
Change how and where you consume gaming culture.

A lot of things your talking about are not exclusive to gaming. Welcome to the Internet. You can't talk about anything, gaming or otherwise, on a public platform without it being filled with thousands of trash talking idiots. Some of those trash talking idiots even make their own platform to
Do it from, making it worse.

But, increasingly, there are so many outlets and avenues that aren't like this. Many Patreon communities are uplifting (hello easy allies) and there are YouTube channels that take the conversation off the platform of YouTube to great success. Siftd has a great community too. You can't do a lot about idiots online in game, save developing a good core of folks you want to game with - which can be done with Overwatch.

You choosing to not spend money to support that culture makes no difference because gaming didn't create it. The rise of the Internet and the ability to be anonymous has lead to people being more willing to act stupid, and likewise it brought together more people, making it easier to run into bigots, sexists, and the like that you may not encounter offline often.

On the flip side, supporting gaming helps people with mental disorders, inspires people to do great things, helps people overcome fears and depression, provides healthy escapism, and helps couples meet and get happily married, have quality conversations about things you may not otherwise think about, and obviously provide endless entertainment for millions.


Let me tell you - I'm a huge sports fan and it's not hard online or even st a bar to find people that make me as a fan seem terrible. But there are so many good stories too. You have to be smarter online to curate your choices of gaming culture.

There are times I thought about leaving GAF in the past, I just learned to avoid threads about certain topics. Suddenly, things became a lot better here for me.
Click to expand...

Great post. A+
 
H

HeatBoost

Member
I don't play games for the social aspect

When I play multiplayer games, it's usually anonymously with no chat (in Souls-y games or fighters) or with a team of people I know

Games are games. I would never quit them just because the audience is shitty. The audience for everything is shitty. Every good thing in life has shitty people who like it.

As for games that are shitty... I don't play those! Like that one Call of Duty where America has a giant orbital superweapon and then it's supposed to be a huge tragedy when someone steals it and uses it against them. That shit is stupid!
 
RedAssedApe

RedAssedApe

Banned
Play with your friends and mute everyone else. Play single player games. Don't go on forums or watch streams/videos where this stuff happens.

Don't get why you would quit a hobby where you can easily not engage with the community if you don't want to. Unless of course you feel you've grown out of it and don't enjoy the actual act of playing games. But that's a different beast than what you seem to describe as your reason...
 
Maximus.

Maximus.

Member
I have quit games that are team based and it's constant negatively. Why should I play something that is no longer fun when I'm dealing with a team that is abusive or not good at the game, nor willing to work together, try or learn?
 
E

Eumi

Member
Don't play games if you don't want to, but especially with the dramatic OP I'm curious as to why exactly you don't just stop reading toxic gaming forums?

Unless your 'everything is politics' is the bad version of that.

You know, the 'why are there women in my games' version. Although from your tone that doesn't seem to be the case.
 
TDLink

TDLink

Member
Don't throw away a hobby you enjoy (or once enjoyed). Cut out the negative part of it. Stop interacting with the community around the hobby. Don't watch streams.

Focus on single player games. Play things that you enjoy, and don't let what other people think or say effect that enjoyment (Which is why single player is best, because there is no one else. Just you and the game). If you really love multiplayer games more, find the ones that let you mute chats, or where no one really uses the chat anyways.
 
A

AndyMoogle

Member
I get what you're saying, but giving up gaming based on assholes on the Internet? If that's the reason you want to give up gaming, then you might as well give up on life. After Brexit and Trump, it should be quite clear that this is what we have to deal with in general life. "The dregs of society" are everywhere.
 
S

Sgt. Kabukiman

Banned
I get it and I don't blame you even though it's a little bit too drastic.
But I mostly play offline games and GAF is the only gaming forum I'm active in and I find it to be a mostly positive community. I don't know, playing games like Dragon Quest and a bunch of other jrpgs, engaging with those fans around here is a pretty fun experience. Everything online can be toxic these days, but it's not all bad.
 
PAULINK

PAULINK

I microwave steaks.
I take breaks, that helps mitigate the constant negativity that affects all communities.

I would never give up gaming though, there is just too much joy, so many undiscovered gem waiting to be played.
 
A

Aztechnology

Member
DieAntwoord said:
Maybe. All I want to do is play overwatch but lately someone I played with was so cool till the moment he started talking about how inferior women and minorities are.



Vinyl is pretty cool I guess.
Click to expand...

I have to say you're choosing the wrong games then if you don't want to deal with toxicity. Ultra competitive players tend to be pretty big jackasses. There are some games where this is an exception because the "stakes" aren't as high. Like PUBG (More casual). But generally with games like CS:GO, Overwatch, LoL, Dota2 and the other big MLG kind of games the player base is just really unhealthy. If you can't handle that, you probably need to play other games.
 
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