While griefers, rage-quitters, and cheaters do represent the plight of the gaming community, even offline gamers can be very toxic.
Who cares, right? It’s not like they’re affecting the experiences of others.
Well, this transfers into the online world more than you would expect. Just go to any subreddit, game review video, or gaming forum, and you’ll see a ton of completely unfounded complaints. Even in scenarios where these complaints are founded in something concrete, they’re just going too hard and actively trying to ruin other people’s fun.
With that in mind, here are the top four types of toxic gamers (playing offline games) that you never want to become.
1. The one unjustly blaming the developers
There are a lot of developers who just slacken the development process and then arrogantly expect the gamers to appreciate their work. Some even get into arguments with their audience for “not appreciating their work of art the right way.”
However, there are a lot of scenarios where it’s just not their fault.
Sometimes, your hardware is damaged. At other times, your OS is filled with viruses. So, instead of having the device inspected or looking for a list made by experts who have found and reviewed the best antivirus software, picking one, and running a full computer scam, you just blame the developers for poorly optimizing the game.
Sure, there are some poorly optimized games out there (a lot of them, really). Sometimes, even the AAA games are released unfinished, and even some of the most reputable publishers are known for releasing games that have no business being $60.
However, you need to be sure that this is the case.
If your hardware cannot run the game in ultra-high and you try to run it anyway, you have no right to complain about the low FPS rate. Ideally, you would check the requirements before purchasing the game. This will save you from a lot of vitriol in the future.
2. The one who just cannot let go
We get it; you don’t like the game! Well, how about just not playing it?
You should be surprised to learn that there are so many people who are incredibly salty about games they never even bought. Just look up a video containing Dragon Age II, and you’ll still find people moaning and groaning about it.
- It’s been 13 years already, just move on.
- To our knowledge, there’s still no government mandate forcing you to play it for a set number of hours every week (if there is one in your region, we apologize for our insensitivity and take it all back).
For anyone not seeking attention, the normal process should go something like this – you try the product, you don’t like it, you refund it, and never play it again. If you want, you can leave a negative review, but avoid obsessive behavior where you stalk all the threads discussing the game in order to have your voice heard.
The thing is that video games are really not that expensive. Sure, a premium game can cost $60-$70, but even then, you are usually allowed a refund. Of course, sometimes the policy is too strict, and you won’t be approved for a refund, but this is usually if you exceed some arbitrary mark of hours played. While some games grow on you, the truth is that you usually know right away if the game is on you.
3. The one riding the hype train too hard
Most of the time, it’s not even that the game is particularly bad. It’s about the hype killing the first experience.
This is a tragic story, really, because this is a form of toxicity that doesn’t necessarily come from the place of negativity. It comes from having too great expectations, flying too high, only to have this Icarian flight burn your wings and send you hurling downward toward reality.
Have you ever wondered why an unknown indie game sometimes catches you off guard with its ingenuity even though, objectively, it’s nothing to write home about? Well, most of the time, it’s because it’s cheap (so you get a lot for a small value) and because you never enter it with great expectations.
Sure, some games like Cyberpunk 2077 and No Man’s Sky promised a lot and delivered very little on day one. Still, there’s so much content now. In the age of SaaS, is it really that hard to accept that the game will be polished over the following years?
While we’re at it, both of these games had some of the biggest redemption arks in history. In fact, other than just adding a ton of content, No Man’s Sky is now free to play.
Still, for people who were badly hurt by this in the past, the best therapy starts by avoiding preordering.
4. The one not allowing others to have fun
Of all the types of gamers, this one is the most toxic. It’s the one who’s so intelligent, wise, and, above all, can’t stand other people enjoying the game they deem unfit. This is a grand crusader of the game development world explaining to people why they’re wrong for having a personal preference that contradicts their own.
Everyone has their grievances, but life is too short to hold grudges.
In the past, when there were a few games published every year, a major title flopping was a huge tragedy. Today, it’s not even a hindrance. There are so many new games coming out every year, and old games are just waiting to be discovered. Just go play something else.
The peak of hypocrisy is the fact that, while tirelessly arguing with people who actually enjoy the game, they assume a stance that they don’t really care about. It’s more than clear that this is too much effort put into something that they claim they have no interest in whatsoever.
Just take a look at the r/cyberpunk. At one point, the subreddit was so toxic that people who actually enjoyed the game had to make a r/lowsodiumcyberpunk just so that they could actually discuss the game instead of having to listen to criticism for actually liking it.
Games are supposed to be fun
The bottom line is that gaming is supposed to be fun. So, whenever you start expressing some toxic behavior, the majority of people will just advise you to get offline for a while. Well, guess what? Even offline gaming can be a negative experience, especially for those who enter this field with good faith and just look for some extra content on the side.
Sure, you’re not enjoying the game as much as you think you should, but if that’s the case, there’s always another game or hobby. Games are supposed to be fun, and if you’re not having fun playing, it might be time to consider doing something else.
