LoL, CoD, Counter-Strike: Players agree nearly every video game has been ruined by their communities

Name a multiplayer video game with a supportive, non-toxic community. Hard, isn’t it? League, VALORANT, Counter-Strike, CoD, and even Magic: The Gathering; nearly every competitive title houses a toxic group of players who seem to have taken a collective oath against having fun, ruining the essence of the game.

Rightfully, players who just want to enjoy their gaming break in peace are now blaming the communities for ruining their favorite titles. A Reddit post calling for the community’s opinion on games that have been destroyed by their user bases garnered thousands of comments, with players listing several multiplayer games they think fit perfectly.

League, Magic: The Gathering, CoD, Rocket League, Dota 2, Rainbow Six Siege, and Mortal Kombat were among the most popular mentions. I’m just surprised VALORANT didn’t receive as many comments as other titles; while not as bad as CoD or League, it has definitely taken a hit due to its stubborn community, especially in recent times. Overall, the thread features many game names, but one comment summed it up for all of us victims. “Every single online multiplayer game in existence. Now it’s all about meta gear/strategy,” it read.  

One player shared their hate for the meta culture in gaming, highlighting how it ruined both Warzone and Elden Ring for them. 

Unfortunately, all competitive games tend to nurture metas that players think they (and everyone else) should follow, and as much as it sounds harmless, it does restrict our creativity severely. “Mmorpgs where people expect you to watch a full guide and know perfect rotations and / or have add-ons that explain every little bit of fun mechanics in the game to the point where you may as well be botting,” one player wrote, summing up the MMO community’s activities.

Another player said it was probably better if the original post asked for a list of games that haven’t been ruined by their communities; at least the list would have been smaller. This led to players mentioning some video games that they thought had the coolest and the most supportive community. 

Warframe topped the list of video games with good communities, according to players in the thread, followed by titles like Deep Rock Galactic, Stardew Valley, and Final Fantasy XIV.

Unfortunately, some gamers among us don’t appreciate creativity; they have a notion of what’s “right” and want to force it down everyone else’s throats, creating a toxic culture that ruins the video gaming experience. It’s even more disheartening that (almost) every single multiplayer game today nurtures this unhealthy behavior. Be the change you want to see. Use the off-meta gun or build, encourage your team to just have fun and wear the pretty armor, not the one with the best stats.