Top 10 Most Toxic Gaming Communities And How To Deal With Them

by  John Uke Last update: September 4, 2024

Hey hey, guys! Today I’m here to talk about something that’s been weighing heavy on my mind lately – the rampant toxicity infecting way too many online gaming communities. It’s painfully obvious to me that toxicity has been a major issue in the gaming scene for ages. The cutthroat vibes of gaming, mixed with the cloak of anonymity online, have created breeding grounds for some seriously toxic behavior.

In this article, I will tell you about the top 10 most toxic gaming communities out there. And hey, let’s make it clear – I’m not here to throw shade just for the sake of it. We will shine a light on these hostile zones to understand what’s up and how we can level up to create healthier gaming spaces.

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Toxicity In Online Gaming

Competitive gaming brings out the worst in people. Everyone’s hungry for that win, and things can get heated fast. Plus, the anonymity of being behind a screen just adds fuel to the fire, leading to verbal smackdowns and harassment.

Yet, toxicity isn’t just limited to esports. Even in casual gaming groups, you’ll find toxic attitudes lurking around. From excluding newcomers to outright bullying, toxicity can rear its ugly head in various forms.

Common Types Of Toxic Behavior

I’ve been gaming for 10+ years, and let me tell you, I’ve seen some seriously toxic stuff go down in various gaming communities, and believe me those are never lust the BM we all witness every now and than. Here are the common behavior types in the most toxic games:

• Verbal abuse. People can get straight-up savage with their insults and trash talk. I’ve been in games where folks are just spewing hate like there’s no tomorrow.
• Gatekeeping. Have you ever tried to join a new game or community and felt like you were getting side-eyed by the “cool kids”? Yeah, that’s gatekeeping for you. It’s all about shutting people down based on their skills or what games they play.
• Griefing. Some layers intentionally ruin others’ gaming experiences for their own pleasure. You’ve definitely met such guys if you’ve ever played with random folks online; they’re everywhere!
• Harassment. I’ve had friends who’ve been harassed non-stop in games, and it’s not pretty. From creepy stalkers to straight-up threats, it’s enough to make you want to log off for good.
• Cyberbullying. Remember back in the day when you could just play a game without worrying about someone talking smack? Yeah, those days are long gone. Cyberbullying is real in most toxic games, and it’s happening in games all the time. 
• Trolling. Trolls are like the pests of the gaming world, always stirring up trouble and ruining the fun for everyone else. 
• Discrimination. It sucks that even in the gaming world, people have to deal with sexism, racism, and homophobia. Can’t we all just play games and chill without bringing hate into it?

The Impact Of Toxicity On The Community

Toxicity isn’t just some minor hiccup. It’s like a nuclear bomb dropped on our gaming community, poisoning everything from MOBAs to shooters and every competitive game in between. Let’s face it: we’ve all been guilty of throwing some shade at some point. Our recent research even says most toxicity comes from regular folks who’ve just had a bad day.

The same research says that 60% of gamers are itching to play with more chill, less toxic players. It was rated twice as high as second place. Plus, I must admit that the most toxic players are those from the post-Soviet countries (Russia, Ukraine, etc.). They are literally kings of toxicity, and every European or American would tell you the same. Yeah, that’s a shame, and that’s what keeps other players out of co-op gaming: they just don’t want to be humiliated in the most toxic games.

Top 10 Most Toxic Game Communities

Toxic behavior is present in pretty much all co-op games with text or voice chats. But some games take the cake when it comes to toxicity, and you bet they’re the big dogs in the multiplayer scene. It’s like the more players flock to these games, the nastier the vibes get – it’s a total downer. So, here’s the list of the most toxic gaming communities.

Counter-strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) And CS2

Sure, Counter-Strike games can be a blast, but let’s be real – the Global Offensive community is straight-up toxic. No matter how much fun the game itself is, you’re constantly dealing with a hot mess, especially when it comes to ranked. From kids screaming into their mics to players hurling abuse at each other, it’s total chaos. And don’t even get me started on team killers, derankers, and griefers – they’re everywhere.

Honestly, if you want to enjoy this series, you need to round up some friends and stick together. Otherwise, you’re in for a rough ride, thanks to the childish community.

League Of Legends (LoL)

The League of Legends is perhaps the most toxic game with pretty much the worst game community; even IBM’s AI flagged it as one of the worst. From my experience, diving into League feels like they combined all the frustrating parts of Dota and CS2 into one game. Every match is like rolling the dice nine times with its unforgiving mechanics. Plus, there’s no voice chat, just filtered text chat where toxic players get crafty with their rage.

Call Of Duty (CoD)

If you wonder, “What is the most toxic game?” you may name CoD and will be quite right. CoD’s competitive scene is notorious for its toxicity. I’ve experienced it firsthand – banter can quickly escalate into verbal abuse, with racist, sexist, and homophobic slurs thrown around. “Swatting” incidents have made headlines among CoD players, and griefing is rampant, with players intentionally ruining the game for others. It’s an unsafe environment for both seasoned players and newcomers. 

Dota 2

From players abusing voice chat to straight-up griefing, Dota has it all. Some call it even the most toxic game of all time. What sets Dota apart is how players are always one step ahead of the devs. I’ve seen some crafty players dodge AFK detection by going invisible near a creep wave. And when someone’s ticked off, they’ll waste all sorts of items just to make a point. With voice and text chat always just a keystroke away, you’re bound to hear some colorful language.

Let’s not forget about the ease of making burner accounts and smurfing – it’s like everyone’s trying to out-toxic each other. Dota definitely takes the cake as one of the most toxic gaming communities out there.

Valorant

Valorant is definitely among the top 10 most toxic games. It’s like a toxic wasteland out there, with players dropping bigoted remarks, acting all sexist toward female gamers, and performing like they’re top dogs while dissing their teammates.

There have been articles and Twitter threads blowing up about this mess, and get this – even one of Riot’s devs got hit with this toxic behavior. Hmmm, looks like we’re in a loop.

Rust

Rust is notorious for its toxic environment right from the get-go. I mean, the whole point of the game is to raid and loot other players’ hard-earned stuff, which naturally breeds a lot of toxicity. It’s like a vicious cycle where everyone’s out to get each other, and that can bring out the worst in people.

But it’s not just about stealing and destroying – Rust is a real roller coaster of emotions. One moment, you’re celebrating a successful raid, and the next, you’re raging because someone just wiped out your entire base. It’s a constant battle between triumph and frustration that can really mess with your head.

Rocket League

Here, you’ve got preset messages on hotkeys, and that’s about it. Text chat is an option, but in the fast-paced chaos of Rocket League, it’s hardly practical. The big difference? Rocket League is all about teamwork.

Here’s the deal: the dude spamming chat with hurtful comments could easily be your own teammate. That’s where Rocket League’s potential for griefing kicks in, making it one of the most toxic gaming communities out there. Matches fly by, and players aren’t afraid to judge each other quickly.

Fortnite

Fortnite is a real free-for-all, and let me tell you, it’s got one of the most toxic gaming communities out there. With its tight ties to streaming and a player base that’s quick on the draw, it’s no surprise it’s earned a bad rep. From the unpredictable Battle Royale gameplay to the young age of the players and the influence of pop culture, Fortnite is like a magnet for toxic players. You’ve got angry kids in chat and furious dudes on Twitch, making Fortnite one of the top contenders for the most toxic gaming community worldwide.

Overwatch

Overwatch is far from being the most toxic video game, but it has a bit of the same issue as Valorant – you’ll run into players who think they’re top-tier MLG material, boasting about their kill-death ratios and, of course, sexism towards Overwatch girls. Then there’s the crowd who insists certain heroes need buffs or nerfs, acting like they’re Overwatch gurus because they’ve put in hours on certain characters.

Now, endorsements were supposed to cool down the harassment and entitlement, but sometimes it feels like folks are getting props they don’t really deserve, all for the sake of earning more XP. Trust me, I’ve seen it all by myself in Overwatch.

Minecraft

In the “Minecraft” community, you’ve got a mix of folks. Some team up to build amazing stuff, while others are out to cause chaos, especially on public servers. These troublemakers not only spam the chat with junk but also go around trolling and wrecking other players’ hard work. It’s so bad that “griefing” has become a household term, all thanks to the antics in Minecraft. Trust me, as someone who’s been on the receiving end of griefing, it’s a real headache for server admins and regular players alike in the most toxic video games.

Possible Solutions To Deal With Toxic Behavior In Gaming

We must understand that toxic behavior in games affects us all. I mean, we need to start with ourselves and put a stop to this nonsense. It won’t happen overnight, but if we all chip in, it’ll pay off big time down the line.

What Developers And Publishers Can Do

Developers and publishers should step up and take charge here. It’s on them to lay down the law, set strict anti-bullying policies, and crack down hard on rule-breakers in the most toxic video game communities. 

Here’s the deal:

• Get that ‘code of conduct’ ironed out: Make sure every player knows the rules and actually follows them.
• Bring in the bots: Using AI to keep an eye on in-game chat can scare off the jerks spewing toxic garbage.
• Get serious with reporting and bans: Give players an easy way to report harassment and then drop the hammer on those guilty of it. 

Community Leaders’ Actions

Leaders gotta step up, too. It’s on them to tackle toxicity head-on and set a good example for everyone else. When they lead by example, it inspires members to act right and show some respect. In my opinion, here’s what influencers, steamers, and other leaders should do:

• Get proactive with moderation: Leaders gotta assemble a squad of mods and admins who ain’t afraid to boot out toxic content and handle conflicts.
• Build up the team: Hosting team-building events to bring the community closer will show that there are real people behind nicknames.

Individual Attitude

Every player should also pull their weight. One rotten apple can mess things up, but hey, one positive player can change the whole vibe. Let’s aim to be that positive force, right? I mean:

• Keep it respectful and sportsmanlike when you’re in the game.
• Embrace diversity and welcome everyone, no matter where they’re from.
• Don’t just brush it off – report that toxic behavior and help clean up the community.

Yes, it sounds like a utopia, but if this article makes you think a little about being less toxic, I don’t get paid for my work for nothing. I believe that there will be a time when the question, “What game has the most toxic community?” won’t arise anymore.

How GameTree Helps Battle Toxicity In The Gaming Community

According to our research, big gaming companies are clueless when it comes to handling toxicity in most toxic online games because it’s not just about the games – it’s a whole social and psychological thing. The developers of our app put in hours researching this and translating their findings into the GameTree algorithm. We realize toxicity mostly comes from players not vibing with each other, so we’re matching gamers who are on the same wavelength. When joining the app every gamer discovers their gamer DNA based on their personality type, after that our AI algorithm makes sure to put you in touch with compatible gamers.

BTW, one of our authors, Dana Sydorenko, has recently participated in the podcast where she discussed the issue of toxicity among gaming communities, so listen up, and let us know in the comments your thoughts.

It’s all about forging real connections and friendships instead of just random matchups, which is why they’re all in on GameTree. When you know people you play with, you don’t want to offend them, right?

Bonus: Least Toxic Gaming Communities

Okay, if you’re a sweetie and don’t want to deal with the most toxic gaming communities as much as possible, here are a few online games with the least amount of harassment, humiliation, and obscene words on air:

• Warframe
• Animal Crossing
• Age of Empires 2
• Diablo IV
• Helldivers 2
• Monster Hunter
• Destiny 2
• World of Warcraft

All of these games are primarily co-op and are great for playing with friends. They are not competitive between players, as their main content is PvE. So, in such games, there is less toxicity than in competitive ones, where the skill of the players is crucial, and the cost of a mistake is much higher.

Find Non-toxic Teammates For Your Squad With GameTree

GameTree’s all about linking you up with folks who vibe with your skills and preferences. That means no room for hate speech or any toxic nonsense in our voice and text chats. We’re stoked to have a rad community full of awesome players from everywhere. The GameTree app works pretty much like Tinder for gamers, so it’s you who decides who to play with and who to skip. Plus, the app has seamless integrations with most messaging apps and all other features you’d like. So, if you’re LFG, don’t hesitate to join the fun and dive into online gaming without worry!