Online Gaming Racism

[SmacK]

Have you ever experience racism in online gaming? How do you feel about it?

I was playing Call of Duty 4 with my brother and one of his friends on Xbox Live. Needless to say that the team that we joined was of course was 3 guys were friends. They dropped every racial slur possible. They seeing that my brother's gamertag was "the angry azn" and his friend's gamer tag was his name which is ethnic, they started to make fun of them as well. It was to the point where I wanted break my headset and never use one again. :angry:

All I can say is that i am fed up with these people that go day to day dropping "gook" "chink" "<< racial epithet >>" "<< racial epithet >>" "<< racial epithet >>" and so on in online gaming. Sure, we can report them and send them a bad feedback, but what does that really do? Is it really going to help?

It's an epidemic on Xbox Live, but I hear that my friends don't hear the same crap on PSN. They find it that there's actually people trying to add on to the enjoyment of the game by using the mic for its purpose and that is to help one another succeed in victory. :yes:

Share your thoughts and comments upon this subject.

EDIT: I like how they censor all the other words for the exception of gook and chink. :no:

[Matrix XII]

Don't give them fuel with putting your race in your gamertag, never understood why people do that.

[SmacK]

Don't give them fuel with putting your race in your gamertag, never understood why people do that.

That's not going to do anything as my gamertag is "SmacKv" which has no indication of what ethnic background I am. They are still going to call people out based on their race and i'm stuck to having to hear it although I use the voice chat to serve my team better. I just don't want something that implemented within the game to be abused by these people. That just ruins the gameplay in general.

[chroniX]

The sad truth is racism exists and always will. What I'm about to suggest is not a real solution and you shouldn't have to resort to this, but it helps to remain neutral as possible when you're online to avoid these scumbags. By that, I mean don't have "the angry azn" as a name. Perhaps, "the angry human" would suffice or something like that. Well, on second thought, they might find a way to insult you with that too. Anyways, the point being that you should avoid advertising things that these scumbags could target you with.

Just a suggestion so you can have a better experience on Live. You shouldn't have to do this, but with the power of anonymity, anyone can be an ass and get away with it.

[-KJ]

I never understood why you guys (I'm part Asian) stick AZN into your gamername.

We're all gamers online, and all the "AZN" appending gamers that I've met speak English.

Now, I understand people sticking "PL" or "GER" into their name as a means to connect with other Polish or German players whom they'd feel more comfortable talking with in their native tongue.

But just imagine how odd it would be if other people of other races started sticking their ethnicity into their gamertag.

There usually is no visual cue to distinguish one race from another online. Like I said, we're all in for the fun of it.

What I'm trying to say is: Have pride in your ethnicity, but don't stick it in everyones face.

All it does is open you to insults that you could have easily avoided by not appending the "AZN" tag.

[MightyJordan]

The main reason you wouldn't hear the same crap on PSN is because a headset doesn't come with the console. You've got to go and buy one yourself. This eliminates a lot of people. I've never had a problem on PSN (so far).

I did have a few problems on Xbox Live, though. It was more racism of a country, though. I came across a bunch of Americans, they took one look at my gamercard, and off they went with the Brit stereotypes! "Go back to your tea, you limey Brit!" The worst one I had was in Fight Night Round 3. Similar thing to what I just mentioned, but this guy was more criticising the way I was playing (stick-'n-move tactic). He would not stop shouting or swearing! I had the last laugh, though. I knocked him out in the 10th and final round! :D

[Brian M. Veteran]

What I'm trying to say is: Have pride in your ethnicity, but don't stick it in everyones face.

All it does is open you to insults that you could have easily avoided by not appending the "AZN" tag.

I really wish everybody else in the world see things in the same way you do. At the end of the day, everybody is the same inside - no matter what colour or race you are (even moreso when you're sitting behind a console).

I've only actually encountered anything similar on XBL once (I haven't had the console that long), and as soon as I realised I was playing with a bunch of racist guys, I left the game.

[SmacK]

I can understand where it's coming from, but that is my brother's choice to have that name and it's sad that it costs 800 Microsoft Points to have the gamertag changed.

On the same subject, his friend uses his actual name as his gamertag which is "efren vasquez". You can automatically tell that he is mexican, but that is his name and he is not going to change it due to the fact that there's jerks online. How do you tell someone "well change your name if they make fun of you". That's telling him his name brings conflict.

Even if people didn't have no signs of race or color in their name, people will start using racial slurs randomly and that will pick a bone with someone of that race. It's just sad to see how this is getting worse and worse in the online gaming community.

[SmacK]

I did have a few problems on Xbox Live, though. It was more racism of a country, though. I came across a bunch of Americans, they took one look at my gamercard, and off they went with the Brit stereotypes! "Go back to your tea, you limey Brit!"

I hear this a lot more than racial slurs in Call of Duty 4. I believe it is to be an American problem, where if i'm playing with some british dudes, they never seem to get all homophobic nor racist.

[OtRaS]

I dont think this will ever disappear it is a scurge in modern day society, It is their problem not yours, they way I see it , everyone sits down to have a dump.

[Gfunk4life]

i just mute people that say racial things.

[TheDogsBed]

if i'm playing with some british dudes, they never seem to get all homophobic nor racist.

I hope you're not under any illusion that Britain is less racist than other countries. If you are, pop over for a month and that should soon put you right; especially if you happen to be Polish, Asian, French, or American. :)

[-KJ]

I can understand where it's coming from, but that is my brother's choice to have that name and it's sad that it costs 800 Microsoft Points to have the gamertag changed.

On the same subject, his friend uses his actual name as his gamertag which is "efren vasquez". You can automatically tell that he is mexican, but that is his name and he is not going to change it due to the fact that there's jerks online. How do you tell someone "well change your name if they make fun of you". That's telling him his name brings conflict.

Even if people didn't have no signs of race or color in their name, people will start using racial slurs randomly and that will pick a bone with someone of that race. It's just sad to see how this is getting worse and worse in the online gaming community.

We all know that the worst of us can come out a heck of a lot more easier when our only source of identity is our gamertag.

And I agree, it really is a shame that Microsoft makes you pay 800 MS Points to change your name, especially when the insults are the main reasons behind it.

You and I know that there are some players that get a certain high by belittling other players.

I know that belittling others is a part of the online gaming experience, albeit not the ideal experience of online gaming for most of us.

But there is a fine line in what is acceptable and what is not.

They are stepping over the line when they insult another individual by their race!

That is a personal attack!

In the ideal world, racism would not exist and everyone would get along just fine.

We all know that the truth is far from said ideal world. There will always be racism.

All you can do as a part of the gaming community is to report those players.

[Noveed]

Been a victim of racism myself on Live and only had it for a few days.

here is something i posted on the live forums

http://forums.xbox.com/19740471/ShowPost.aspx

[cammy]

I'm gonna put my neck on the line here and say that being Scottish i get a fair bit of abuse over the comms from people. but to be quite honest it doesn't bother me, because i know these people are just having a laugh, they don't mean anything by it.

now if someone become aggressive towards me then yeah i would be majorly ****ed, i just dont think race is an issue in this day and age, we are people all the same, you wouldn't be offended if someone started making fun of you for having eyes or whatever lol.

all i am saying is, don't let it bother you, its not worth it really, just let em have it in game, shoot them in the balls and teabag them.

haha

- Cammy

[Coldgunner]

/\ I agree, best thing to do is move on and report it, no point getting worked up over it.

[Vykranth]

I hear this a lot more than racial slurs in Call of Duty 4. I believe it is to be an American problem, where if i'm playing with some british dudes, they never seem to get all homophobic nor racist.

Nah, there are jerks everywhere: it's not a question of country, it's a question of jerkness and that crosses all borders: I have been insulted by gamers of almost every European country (including my own) and a bunch of countries on other continents. Yet, I have enjoyed games with players on the same spectrum.

Call of Duty 4 is a game like Halo 3 or Gears of War: there are a lot of gamers playing online and you run into jerks more often there just because there are more gamers there.

Now, I don't have a problem reporting insulting players. The File Complaint is there for that: I use it.

[Dc'1]

I've never seen this in PSN. The most I've seen is people swearing when they get killed lol, nothing racist though.

[SIE]

I never understood why you guys (I'm part Asian) stick AZN into your gamername.

We're all gamers online, and all the "AZN" appending gamers that I've met speak English.

Now, I understand people sticking "PL" or "GER" into their name as a means to connect with other Polish or German players whom they'd feel more comfortable talking with in their native tongue.

But just imagine how odd it would be if other people of other races started sticking their ethnicity into their gamertag.

There usually is no visual cue to distinguish one race from another online. Like I said, we're all in for the fun of it.

What I'm trying to say is: Have pride in your ethnicity, but don't stick it in everyones face.

All it does is open you to insults that you could have easily avoided by not appending the "AZN" tag.

I have to agree, it's almost like you want the attention, put your country in by all means but as for stating your race, whats the point? All your doing is setting yourself up for abuse.

[StandingInAlley]

When i was playing Halo 3, it was a 2 on 2 match and this guy on my team abused me like anything because i wasn't playing that good. After he saw that i was from India, he continued abusing and not to mention insulted my country :(

I mean its just a game, needless to say i quit the game and shut the x360. Later i filed a complain against him because i felt very hurt.

[5Horizons]

I just mute people who talk trash. It's quick and easy, and takes care of the problem quite well ;). Don't bother responding, just hit the mute button and move on. Most of them are just little kids who want to get a rise out of you anyway.

I'd submit reviews, but they take longer and are largely abused (I've gotten reviewed down for "trash talk" when I wasn't even using a mic). The main point of playing games is to have fun; worrying about idiots won't get you anywhere.

[WastedJoker]

They're only words. Man up.

[Rigby]

The only time I've experienced anything like it would be seeing someone in World of Warcraft with a clearly racist name for his character. It was the first time I ever reported anything to a GM; he gave me some bs about how it didn't seem to break any rules and he did absolutely nothing about it so it's also the last time I ever bothered reporting anything.

[spacer]

You're first mistake is playing CoD on a 360...but that's a topic for another thread.

Just mute the idiots, report them, and move on. There is nothing else you can do about it, and there will always be people who act like that on the internet as long as anonymity remains. There is no sense getting bent out of shape about it.

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

You're first mistake is playing CoD on a 360...but that's a topic for another thread.

Just mute the idiots, report them, and move on. There is nothing else you can do about it, and there will always be people who act like that on the internet as long as anonymity remains. There is no sense getting bent out of shape about it.

Your first mistake is stating that playing Call of Duty on the Xbox 360 was a mistake. Honestly, do you really want to start a flame war? :|

I agree. If enough people report that certain player then it's likely something will be done to him/her by Microsoft. On a side note, I find it odd that parents would let their 8-year old son play on Xbox Live. Exposing an 8-year old to such crap is almost evil.