Playing any type of video game comes with a bit of etiquette that is usually easy enough to pick up along the way. However, certain terms, actions, and attitudes among other players can leave a sour taste in your mouth and make you want to quit playing.
If you have ever been on the receiving end of verbal abuse or in-game bullying and never knew what to do about it, this article is for you. We’ll share some basic tips on gaming etiquette to know that will hopefully help keep things fun and clean for everyone.
Don’t be a sore loser, and don’t be a sore winner
Sportsmanship is important in gaming, so it’s important to remember that you can’t win every game. Everyone has bad days, and sometimes you’re up against someone who is simply better than you at that moment. It’s important not to focus on winning or losing; stay focused on the game itself.
Remember, winning isn’t everything, or maybe it is! But gaming shouldn’t be used as a way of putting others down or making yourself feel better. Even if you have won, gloating about it will only make your opponents dislike you more. No one likes a sore winner either!
As long as everyone is having fun and keeping their cool, the game has been played properly regardless of who wins or loses!
Don’t micromanage other players or make them play by your rules
Some people get angry when you don’t play by their rules. If someone doesn’t follow your rules, it might be tempting to get angry at them, but that’s not cool. Instead of getting mad, you could just ask if they want to try your strategy instead. In the future, it’s best to keep in mind that not everyone can follow all the same rules as everybody else.
Be mindful of how you treat other people, even when you’re online.
There are some general rules of politeness that we can all follow: if you wouldn’t do it in real life, don’t do it online. Be kind to others, and treat them the way you’d like to be treated in return. The best way to behave online is to be the person you want to be offline – and that means always choosing kindness over cruelty, compassion over coldness, and a friendly tone over menacing threats and insults!
Don’t be rude to people just because you can’t see them
This is a very simple concept, but one that is often hard for people to remember. When you’re playing a video game, it’s easy to forget there’s a real person on the other side of the screen; we tend to think of them as just another player-controlled character in the game world.
However, it is important to remember that you are interacting with another human being who has feelings and emotions just like you do. If they say something mean to you or steal something from you or hurt your character in-game, it can be tempting to respond in kind by doing something similar back to them.
However, this doesn’t help anybody. It only escalates conflict and makes everyone’s gaming experience worse. Treat others as you would like to be treated; remember that they can feel hurt by your actions just as much as you can feel hurt by theirs. By keeping this in mind and always trying to be polite and respectful towards others, even when they don’t act the same way towards you, everyone will have a better time gaming together!
Learn how to take “no” for an answer.
It’s all too easy to become upset when someone declines your invitation. This is especially true if you’re looking forward to playing a game with that person, but don’t let your disappointment turn into anger.
When someone says they can’t play, whether they’re busy or simply don’t want to play, stop and think about it for a moment before you begin flooding them with messages. If the answer is “no”, then accept it and let it go. If the answer is conditional and could change in the future (for instance: “We’ll play next week”), then respect the terms and leave that person alone until those terms are fulfilled.
Even if there’s no clear reason given as to why (Like: “I don’t feel like playing right now”), then again – respect their decision and leave them alone.
Most people who play games do so for fun and relaxation; if that is not what you are looking for, it would be better for you to go elsewhere rather than ruin the experience for others who just want to kick back with a few friends and unwind with some friendly competition!
