The Toxicity of MMO Gamer Elitism and Its Effect in Gaming Communities

Elitism is an ideology we all hope that we wouldn't have to deal with in a regular day-to-day work setting. You'd expect it from the preening, narcissistic attitudes from self-absorbed businessmen raking it in on Wall Street or hosting McDonalds feasts at the White House. Hell, maybe even a little peacock-strutting from Bill in accounting who got a promotion bonus like the overachieving pencil-pushing geek that he is. But then you get home and want to blow off some steam by playing a game, either alone or with a dungeon-raiding team online.

There's a reason seasoned gamers of particular MMOs turn off the voice chat in over-world hubs. Because people are screaming at each other and threatening to do unsightly things to family members. 12-year-old recalcitrant players are using the "n-word" like one uses a comma. And it's like a tradition, an awful, overblown tradition that the higher-ranking players are screaming at the lower-levels. When did gaming become a pecking order? Who appointed these higher-ranks to be our superiors, like we're interning doctors doing scut-work?

The term elitism could be interchangeable with the word "aristocracy," if you were talking about types of government. In gaming, the word "elitist gamer" is interchangeable with "pompous asshole." It's not just MMOs, it's other genres as well. Some elitists claim superiority because they don't play mainstream games, only prefer to stick with the hardcore titles that challenge them. I confess sometimes having these attitudes toward popular games, but mostly because such games tend to be carbon copies of its predecessor. Why would I pay twice for the same damn game?!

Gamers take "PC elitist" to the extreme. Such a concept originated by Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of Zero Punctuation fame, in which he regards—ironically—that PC gaming is superior and console users are "peasants." Let's keep in mind that Croshaw himself is also a console user, albeit to his disdain, because he has to be for his job. Remember when the PS2 was in its prime, chunky PC monitors were the size of trucks, and people loved and kissed each other all day long in happy, happy joy? No. No, I don't. People with better technology still ragged on those that didn't. I wonder if our ancient ancestors ever had such inane squabbles while hunting, gathering, and fucking to survive. "Bobo have rock. Bobo smash rock to make smaller rock." But then his cousin, Gargar's already invented metallurgy and making bronze plates. Soon, he's the one getting all the roasted deer legs and making cavemen babies with the brood wife.

Sorry, that paragraph got away from me. Elitism isn't all bad though. Take Bill Gates, for example. He makes billions of dollars just brushing his teeth or taking a shit and his donates his money for the needs of others. Everyone seems to admire him, even if they're an Apple-using weirdo. Apple, itself, however is not winning any awards for humility. Oh, you want to pay one thousand dollars for a phone so you can only go to an Apple genius bar to get scoffed at for having phone problems? Excuse me, I have to take this call on my Android, my hypocrisy is calling me.

There should be moderation among gaming communities. The "sticks and stones" rule is bullshit. I see nine-year-olds saying they want to rape another player's mom. Allowing kids on adult MMOs is also an issue. Not everyone who plays the game is a bastion of virtue. The concern should not stop as soon the credit card details are verified. Hacking and "doxing" player's personal information should not be treated with a mere 30-day ban from the chat server, it should be handed over to the police. And where there are vulnerable kids, there's bound to be a couple of pedophiles. I know verifying age would be a pain in the ass on a server, but I think an automated letter/email to the credit card owner would be sufficient.

One should never confuse elitism and confidence though. Sure, both can be compromised and both could describe the other, but confidence can be faked. Sorry for sounding like an after-school special, but what if the appearance of over-confidence is a mask to cover actual feelings. What if the level 180 Orc Dragonknight that talks absolutely shit is just a kid with an abusive parent? What if this is his way to assert control over something in his life? I'm not saying it's okay. After all, what if the kid is just a jerk? Maybe he cuts off girls' braids on the playground or tells you can't play four-square 'cause you're not cool. NO, I'M NOT OVER IT, GAVIN.