Toxic behavior and friendly silliness go hand in hand in World of Warcraft. It could be so easy.
Depending on who you ask, World of Warcraft can offer very different experiences. For some, it is the most social game in the world, where people work together towards goals and overcome challenges. For others, joining a dungeon group feels like diving into a toxic cesspool, where everyone is at each other’s throats.
Both sides are probably right, and a comic illustrates in a simple yet striking way why that is the case.
What kind of comic is it? The webcomic series “Dark Legacy Comics” (“DLC”) has been around for many years. It parodies events in World of Warcraft, showcasing not only funny sides but also issues within the community with a wink. The latest comic, number 963, presents an experience we all probably know:
A pre-made group of 4 friends takes an unknown player into a dungeon. The “Random” fails, is defeated and is attacked by everyone. Phrases like “What an idiot” or “Let’s kick him” are thrown around. Afterwards, most are annoyed because the dungeon run is ruined. The game feels more like “work” with randoms, and one hopes to form a group without random players soon.
Exactly like that it goes – and the scene repeats itself. When a guild member or friend experiences the exact same situation and makes the same mistakes, the mood is usually much more pleasant. Although some insults are exchanged, those are just the normal teasing among friends – even though the outcome, that is, the failure of the dungeon, is identical.
Friends have more leeway in WoW
The comic seems to resonate with some, also holding a mirror up to them. Because what one forgives friends and laughs about in the guild circle often leads to frustration and toxic behavior in random groups.
It would help if we allow randoms to make a few mistakes and give them the same leeway that friends and guild members would enjoy. That’s difficult – but it can be aimed for.
Cortyn says: Honestly, the comic was a little “I am in the picture and I don’t like it” moment because I found myself in it. I too catch myself getting extremely annoyed when a “Random” makes a mistake that costs us the successful completion of the dungeon.
In the exact same situation, however, I tend to be much more relaxed when it happens to the Click-To-Move panda from my guild. This can hardly be avoided, as one cannot disregard the emotional and social bonds to friends and guildmates.
However, I also don’t tend to insult or attack others in the group chat, but just mumble quietly to myself (or at most to other people in Discord).
There is probably no simple solution to this seemingly simple problem, other than “Just be more relaxed with randoms” – but that’s easier said than done. And it only takes one person who is negatively inclined to ruin the experience for everyone else. A little more kindness helps so that even newcomers realize: WoW is not as toxic as many say.
