Competitive Gaming Ethics

by Han
published by Rinie 6th October 2009

Kids, Dont Be Like This Kid!

It is common knowledge that we must be ethical in our daily lives. Our ethics can help define the way we live. Such as, when greeting someone you meet for the first time, you would wave your hand, or offer to shake his hand, as this would create a decent first impression. Or saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ can go a long way in creating an impression that you are courteous. What in competitive gaming? How do the ethics in gaming help us when the stakes are high? How can we control ourselves when things are not going our way? Here we are about to find out.



Firstly, it is essential not to lose your cool. No matter how badly the odds are stacked against you, you must never let the short fuse within yourself get the better of you. Acts such as slamming the table, swearing and screaming offensive remarks when playing competitively is an absolute taboo in competitive gaming. A person who loses his cool in public loses the respect of others too. If you can keep your temper in check, who knows the tide of the battle may turn in your favour.

Next up, it’s the issue of celebration. When the match is won, it is important not to celebrate too excessively, as it might offend the opponent or the crowd as well. While winning is a great achievement, it is important not to go overboard as other gamers have feelings too. They are already dejected after losing while the excessive celebrations can only add oil to the fire. Think of Emmanuel Adebayor for example:




And finally, it is also important to be gracious in defeat. It is not ethical to complain about the result or curse and swear at your opponent when you lose. Always accept the outcome of the match as at the end of the day, it is just a game. A firm, proper hand shake and the sincere offer of congratulations would show that you are a gracious loser, which would create a good impression among the community of gamers. Also, having lost, you can always think that there is always a next time, where things will get better.

That is it for now, hopefully this segment will show the gamers the proper way to behave in the future. Having said that however, the behavior if the gamers in the recently concluded WCG.MY09 have been impeccable and very impressive, and long may it continue.