They play games, they enjoy games, they put games before important tasks and they make the gaming industry tick (and tock). Correct, I’m talking about gamers! The warm hearted, friendly, talkative folk with a crackin’ sense of humor!
That was what it was like in the good ol’ days. What is the community like today? In a mess, full of spoiled kids and people that just don’t give a whopping shit about other players’ enjoyment. Having played online games on my PC, i have witnessed abuse, players being singled out and gamers repeatedly rule break. A fantastic example below in a Counter Strike: Source game. All I’m going to say is “Holla holla, get dollas”. (caution: contains strong language)
How can someone like that get away with verbal abuse? Not only is he around half the age of other players and would seriously get his head bashed in if he acted like that in real life, it’s just terrible sportsmanship. Have another example, I know you want to! (caution: contains strong language)
Although both examples were from Counter Strike: Source, the game itself is no worse or better than many others. Halo has a growing reputation of being home to some of the worst Xbox Live players around. Being the 360 flagship, this is quite a serious problem. Not that Microsoft give a crap, they’re making money – a typical company with typical goals. Across all platforms, this seems to be a mildly growing problem. What can we do about it?
There isn’t much we can do, if you see some abuse being thrown at someone or racial comments are being made for example, then you should try and calm the situation down. Consider reporting the offensive player. If all else fails, encourage others to take side of the defendant and make the problematic gamer feel left out, cornered and not wanted. Sticking together, setting examples and remember it is just a game at the end of the day are just a few steps the community can take to aim for the right path.
How To Be A Good Sport
Be like me (and many, many others), respect other players, have fun and make sure everyone gets the best experience out of the game play. Whenever I go online, I follow these simple points and remember them inside my hollow head:
- If you want to be popular, be a good sport to and include everyone.
- If a new player is in the game you are in, help them out should they require it.
- Skill is not everything, enjoying the game and having a laugh is more important.
- Swearing is fine unless it is either in a game with children playing, or aimed at another.
- Follow server/community rules, take note on what you can and shouldn’t do.
- Get involved, use teamwork, involve yourself. This is the beat way to build on skill.
- Should someone act like a complete wolly, try to reason with them or get them removed from game.
- Everyone is equal and everyone has the right to play online.
Some people follow the above and take things further with having a laugh against other people, which can turn into one hilarious recording. This player had Bobby Knight shouting in the background, it sounds like a real person getting aggravated from the game against other players and this one guy is shouting ‘Fuck up!’, quite amusing 
If you get to witness some fantastic game play, laughs in lobbies or some trash talking idiots, let us all know about your experience and how you see the gaming community will be in a few years time.
