Gaming: when Call of Duty conflict isn't just virtual
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.If you like to play computer games with a headset on, then there’s a chance that you’re probably already taking things a little too seriously.
However a video report on games website Eurogamer showing inside the gaming room at a Call of Duty eSports competition reveals that the headset is just the beginning. Imagine two groups of young men sitting at computers shouting, cursing and screaming at each other until their foul-mouthed insults spiral into a garbled mess of grunting sounds.
“That was right up your f**king arghabubble” and “I’m the f**king daddy mugga fuggurks” should give you an impression of the dialogue, which at several moments seems close to breaking into actual, real-life, non-gaming violence (see inset left). Office techno-rage is distinctly mild-mannered by comparison.
According to the players, the relentless trash talk helps pump them up, while psyching out the opponents. An Electronic Sports League spokesman said it is “no different to sports such as football and rugby, where competitive spirit and banter are part of the mind games that take place between teams.”
The only difference being, football is real.
Watch it here: goo.gl/FCrqd
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments