A Gamer Girl Speaks.

A lot of my fellow gaming females have been touching a subject that has been bothering me for quite some time. When and why did the gaming world become so negative and not centered so much around just having fun anymore? Why do people insist on cursing, using racial slurs, and just insulting people.

I have talked to some friends outside our “gaming world” about this. (We will call them “outsiders”.) These outsiders actually look at our world in a very negative way, and can never see themselves being a part of it. It’s no wonder our hobby is blamed for violence in schools and with guns, even though there has to be a lot more going on then just pwning people in games to cause that, but outsiders don’t see that! All they see is the people using foul language and the violence that is in our games. So they just put 2+2 together.

I myself try to avoid using bad language. People who play with me can tell you that I rarely ever do any of these things. I am just here to play the games and have fun with people! But there are these few people who stand out more then the people like myself.

You know you hear them over Vent, XBL and as “trolls” on the internet. They are the ones insulting you, calling you rude names, and in my case making fun of me because I am a female gamer. (I already covered some of that subject.) But if I try to stand up and say their behavior is inappropriate and annoying, I am the one getting laughed at and ridiculed! Come on people, grow a pair! Why am I the one getting the crap when this guy is acting like a complete moron. Are you scared of him or something?

Here is a prime example of what I am talking about. This is reality, as sad as it is. He really needs to step away from the controller.

(Warning NSFW as loud profanity and crude terms are used.)

These people must have some pretty low self-esteem if it is making them feel better by trying to belittle others in a video game. But the people joining in and laughing at the people like me trying to call them out just adds to it. I am beginning to think this is beyond repair, and it will always be like this. But why does it have to be?! I know there are many of you out there who have kept quiet this whole time, and just dealt with it in the ways I have… by not doing anything! Which isn’t going to help solve anything now is it?

Honestly the way things are right now, if I had children who wanted to play online video games, I probably wouldn’t want to them to just because of the people I see on here. I honestly could care less what these people say to me, but if my young child heard stuff like what is said over vent/XBL, I think it could honestly hurt them.

Why does something that can be so much fun, have to be so negative and crude? I mean the regular trash talk “Ohh you just got pwned/worked/stomped on” is fine, but do these people have to constantly say the “F” word, drop “N bombs” and yell into their mic?

Come on gamers, stand up for what you believe is fun, and against these people constantly trying to tear you down. With enough of us, we can defeat all this hatred for a brighter gaming future.