A new study has found that toxic gamers in multiplayer games are hurting business by discouraging a large number of gamers from playing. Toxicity in online games has been on the rise, with some developers like Bungie fighting back. However, the damage to business is hard to reverse.
7/10 gamers avoid playing multiplayer games with toxic communities
The study was conducted by mental health nonprofit Take This in collaboration with global research giant Nielsen. Approximately 2,328 teens and adults in North America were polled, and the findings paint a pretty damning picture for video game companies.
The study found that 6/10 players felt discouraged from spending money in a game where they were treated poorly. 6/10 quit playing games within which they were subjected to harassment, 7/10 players avoided a game entirely due to poor community reputation, and men were more likely to reduce engagement with games over toxicity than women.
The study also found that players under 18 take a firmer stance against toxicity than those over 18, suggesting that younger players have a lower tolerance for abusive behavior.
Take This has recommended a tougher stance against toxicity and harassment online, arguing that if companies want to entice the next generation of consumers, they’ll need to tackle this issue head-on.
