Note : This is based on my own observations and opinion.
Many of you reading this may be trying to relax after a couple of defeat in your attempt to climb the solo queue ladder. Isn’t that something that everyone does when playing this game that we love, get angry? Of course, I’m generalising, but the truth is: we are bad, really bad at losing, may it be the laning phase or the entire game.
After trying to solve my own issues with climbing divisions and improving my play, there’s something that I overlooked and that I think that too many people overlook: how hard MOBAs in general can truly be on the psyche of any individual.
When, in any given situation, will you be put together with strangers, with one thing in common with you and one thing only, your will to win? League of Legends, DOTA 2, and Heroes of the Storm, all of those games put enormous pressure on each individual on the team to perform, to try not to influence negatively the chances of winning of your four teammates.
Picture this scenario for yourself: you are doing well in your lane, pressuring your lane opponent(s) and having a small cs lead, let’s say 10 cs at 10 minutes. For the 3rd time by now, you see that your top laner has died. What will you do about it? Probably nothing, and also get a little bit scared that this top laner, this stranger, is risking to ruin your game by creating a monster in the person of the enemy top laner.
Scared for the moment when you will group up and face that enemy top laner, you try to give a tip to the player having a bad lane, tips like “don’t play too aggressively; stay under your tower”. Most of the time, the stressed player won’t respond or won’t even take into consideration that advice. In the end, that advice only put more pressure on that player, because he knows now that one of his teammates noticed his poor performance.
I’m sure that by now, most of you will recognise a scenario that already happened to you, whether in the role of the underperforming or the player going even. The next time you are in this situation, try taking action instead of helping that said player with advices, show them to him instead. Even if the player who lost in lane may be desperate and can’t see how his team can win that game, a good roam from another lane to get an objective and maybe some kills can put this player on the right track once again.
It’s easy to blame someone for doing poorly in the game, but you don’t know how much pressure you put on them when you accept the match after waiting in queue. You don’t know what is that person going through, and how much losing in the laning phase can affect them negatively.
It’s harder to overpeform, to show that you can carry that person through that game. It’s harder to put that weight on your shoulders, that pressure that you lift from your desperate teammate who doesn’t know what he should do in that game.
Next time you see someone having a bad lane and getting angry, don’t answer back with anger, try to understand them with what I told you today. I hope I gave you some insight on why those players can react that badly to losing their lanes in what is, in the end, only a game.
Thanks for reading my thoughts,
HayTea.
