Online gaming's dirty little secret

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Online gaming's dirty little secret
November 19, 2009 4:00 AM PST by by Jeff Bakalar

" There's no denying that the online multiplayer experience is a major selling point for video games like the just-released Modern Warfare 2. The ability to play with (and against) other players from around the world adds an expanded dimension and a social component that single-player titles lack.

But while the bulk of the mainstream media criticism of these games tends to focus on the violence, gore, and questionable ethics in such combat-centric titles, little is spoken about a growing issue that can affect online gamers playing any title: instances of racism, misogyny, and homophobia (see below for a Current TV video on the latter subject).

Increasingly sophisticated gaming networks such as Microsoft's Xbox Live and Sony's PlayStation Network allow players to communicate with one another before, during, and after gaming sessions via text and voice. Having participated in online gaming for more than a decade, I've heard every last profane muttering and expletive known to man.

But when my attention to online gaming shifted from the PC to the home console, I began to notice a comparatively more hostile environment. For whatever reason, this hostility usually came in the form of racial insensitivity and homophobic behavior.

Fast-forward to the current generation of games, and hearing racial epithets like the "n word" or homophobic slang like the "f word" shouted online is more commonplace than you might want to believe. Meanwhile, women who play in the male-dominated world of online gaming sometimes find themselves the victims of sexually suggestive comments and gender-based taunting.
. . .
Perhaps the cloak of anonymity that playing a video game online provides increases the prevalence of these instances. Or maybe the brutal reality is that social issues like racism are more of a problem than we'd like to admit. The fact remains that there are some seriously deranged and troubled people out there, and they are speaking into my headset.
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I ran into this frequently...and this is why I only play with friends. Too many people in online gaming either take the games too seriously or are just malicious towards anything and everything.

By the way, I only included excerpts so be sure to view and read the full article. "

:source: Source: C|NET News.com

Then it's just emulates real warfare even more exactly then.

Other ways that online gaming is like real life combat .The people who create it sculpt it to suit to suit popular opinion .They also get all the reward with none of the associated risk.
The combat is fought largely by guys hardly old enough to shave .
It's also incredibly racist ,sexist and homophobic if I didn't make that clear already.
And online and RL increasingly share the whole futility/pointless thing as well.

You wanted real ,welcome to the war soldier.

Jeff Bakalar is a fag.

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Originally Posted by TrollinThunder

Jeff Bakalar is a fag.

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Poor Jeff, the TRUTH HURTS!!

I vastly prefer sp games. You either have teenagers screaming at each other or elitist snobs. Its tough to find a group of fun casual gamers. As for modern warfare 2, I have 0 interest in playing yet its going for record sales. What happened to games like myst that are exploration and thinking.

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Originally Posted by jedispork

I vastly prefer sp games. You either have teenagers screaming at each other or elitist snobs. Its tough to find a group of fun casual gamers. As for modern warfare 2, I have 0 interest in playing yet its going for record sales. What happened to games like myst that are exploration and thinking.

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Have you ever seen Idiocracy? That should answer the thinking part of your question.

Games that generally cater to an older crowd tend to be better, but what is mentioned in this article still holds true :dabs:

Apparently among the younger crowd it seems to be "cool" to put the N word or some variety of in your name, avatar, signature, anywhere you can. It's rather pathetic. If you look at some of the novice and more immature "hacking" crowd, this is exactly what they tend to turn into. I don't quite understand it. Its the exact same thing with homophobia as well. Those words are used like every single other word in peoples vocabulary.

As for this:

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Meanwhile, women who play in the male-dominated world of online gaming sometimes find themselves the victims of sexually suggestive comments and gender-based taunting.

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I tend to disagree. People online tend to end up worshiping the few women that play games almost like gods. Anyone with a female voice in counterstrike is sure to end up a popular hit in the server/clan, for sure :ermm:

If you don't like the comments that one makes on the headset.. Take the headset off

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Originally Posted by ceebread

If you don't like the comments that one makes on the headset.. Take the headset off

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Or ban the user.

Ban the user is the best. Teach the twits that antisocial actions aren't tolerated. Having everyone laughing at them cause they got tossed out of their clan/guild for not knowing when to shut up is a lot of fun too, especially when you make certain they know you're laughing at them.

I can only agree w/ the last comment all the more since I have seen it done. usually after they get tossed out from a couple clans / guilds / groups / what-have-you-not they learn their lesson and quit being such little bastards.

That's why i don't use no crappy headset/mic like a geek gamer lmao...
PS3 online gaming no hassle here :D

And i don't see what's wrong with people sayin' fuck n so on...
(you can hear that in most single player game story mode too or in movies whatever..)
But i cannot tolerate racism though.

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Originally Posted by $SnoopDo2G$

But i cannot tolerate racism though.

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That sounds somewhat ironic