By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net
SINGAPORE – Gaming “bullies” are becoming the biggest headache in thriving online gaming communities in Asia, a recent survey by the research group International Data Corporation (IDC) showed.
A recent IDC report noted that 64 percent respondents from different Asian countries are complaining about online gaming bullies targeting new or weaker players, while another 70 percent complained about rude players.
Meanwhile, the report also showed that more than 50 percent of respondents believed that meeting other players is an important aspect in playing online games. A gamer has an average of 26 online gaming friends while gamers below 25 years old usually have 28.
IDC Asia Pacific Emerging Technologies Research Principal Claus Mortensen said 664 online gamers were interviewed in August for the IDC survey. The respondents came from China, Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Mortensen said social aspect of games is what often attracts people to play online games. However, bullies can become a serious problem as more and more people go online to play games, the executive said in an e-mail interview.
He explained that the majority of online games are “adversarial” in nature and can be outlets for aggression. These are the typical hack-and-slash games, where players are required to kill non-player characters or players to gain higher levels.
Gaming bullies are also tied to the issue of forming gaming clans or guilds. Just like real-world clans, online guilds can be rude or suspicious of new players and subject these so-called “noobs” (game term for new players) to negative comments.
“When people are competing against each [other] online, they typically don’t have the same social inhibitions or filters that they would have if they were seeing their opponents in person. And it’s easier to be rude when you remain anonymous,” Mortensen said.
October 22nd, 2008 at 3:59 pm
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September 10th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
well, there are still the fanboys of each consoles(Wii, XBOX 360, PS3) who bully each other every now and then.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:02 am
If you think the nice newbies have it bad….
Spare a thought for the female gamers who get targeted simply because they are female.
Does the study address this?
September 8th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
sad but true…
but you’ll notice that majority of these rude players are just all talk
and i gotta agree with mr. jc john; we should always be open minded
September 8th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
bullies are bullies be virtual or real life. It’s a norm someone has to breathe by it moreso learn how to live with it. BY nature, it’s an outcast much like other online games. but think of it, bullies make your lives better coz we dont live as each day comes, we try to outdo one another and by itself you are a bully. So guys ease off a lil bit. we are at all bullies in some form or another.