Designing Welcoming Multiplayer Games
Halo Multiplayer
Originally published in Wireframe Magazine issue 10.
It's 2004. I’ve been playing Halo 2 for over 7 hours. OmegaDragon asks for one more game. I can hear the Halo 2 music in my head as I remember queueing again that night. OmegaDragon was just some kid living in Germany, and I was from Mexico City, but we became connected just by the incredible fact that we were playing together, even if we were thousands of kilometers apart. These and other very similar moments made me realize how powerful video games can be in fostering social relationships and positive interactions.
The online gaming landscape has changed dramatically since that night almost 15 years ago. While online toxic behavior is not exclusive to games, games have a unique way of influencing human behavior. As game designers, we need to be mindful that every decision we make could be affecting the way players interact with each other.
Understanding the problem
Online disruptive behavior in video games, often known as toxicity, comes in many shapes, but ultimately it refers to any behavior that leaves another player feeling threatened or devalued. This behavior can manifest in the form of gameplay, verbal abuse, or text-based chat. The recent rise of online toxicity comes from factors like:
Anonymity. Without knowing who is behind the screen, players adopt any persona they want to be, making it harder to hold players accountable for negative behavior.
Community size and background diversity. Gaming communities were once harmonious groups of like-minded individuals with shared interests. Nowadays, game communities are composed of a broader audience with different backgrounds, play styles, personalities, and motivation. These differences might arise conflict and confrontation.
Mismatched intentions. Increased focus on competition as a key facet of play leads to frustration and disappointment when players are not in agreement. Are you playing for fun, or are you playing for the win? This is an ever-important question that has become harder to answer with the rise of competitive environments, such as e-sports.
Illusory correlation. Without access to the full view on why a match ended the way it did, a player is more likely to blame a negative outcome on the wrong reason, such as technical issues or other players.
Emotional investment. Just like with physical sports, video games can trigger a torrent of emotions that come with a loss or the joy of a win. In addition, the cadence of this emotional feedback loop has a high rate of repetition in a short period of time.
While this list is not exhaustive, it is important to mention that toxic behavior lives in a grey area. What might be toxic to one person could be fine for another.
Many of today’s solutions are implemented on a platform level and are focused on the communication layer. Muting players or reporting systems are often an after-the-fact band-aid to address the symptoms rather than the disease. We should think about how we might solve the problem before it happens using subtle yet effective ways.
Friendly Gaming from the ground up
Online toxicity is a complex problem and this is not a catch-all for every multiplayer experience out there. Consider these points as a call to action as you design your game. Be mindful of how certain game elements might be influencing your game’s community.
Reduce punishment for negative outcomes.
Failing in your game should be fun. A negative outcome, like a stolen kill, leads to frustration from players. Informing players of what caused the negative result is important, don’t let them decide for themselves. It’s important to reward effort and outcome accordingly. This reward could be implemented in things like the scoring system or using the right language to make the player feel less punished.
Example: Recent Call of Duty titles handle kill assists awarding more points to the assisting player as well as using the term “defeated” instead of “assist” giving a more positive sense of accomplishment.
Be mindful of what gameplay data is being exposed to players.
In team-based games, it’s useful to know the current state of other players. External performance data is great for strategy, but could be weaponized for conflict. Obfuscation of certain data or positive performance emphasis leads to a more welcoming environment, making players demonstrate good sportsmanship towards other players.
Example: Spy Party handles public facing ranking using “Spy Wins” and “Sniper Wins.” Losses are not displayed, even if they are directly proportional to the Wins.
Consider what is the right segmentation for your player base.
Matchmaking algorithms, ranked and casual playlists, and player filters all help to situate the player in the right bucket based on personal intentions and skill. Ensuring fair matches helps to reduce the likelihood of putting blame on teammates, which is often a friction point in many online game matches.
Use positive reinforcement for player behavior.
Create a culture where sportsmanship is respected and rewarded. Incentivize good behavior by providing in-game rewards and create opportunities for players to show camaraderie between teammates and rivals.
Example: The GG system in Gwent gives players the option to reward the other player by saying “good game” at the end of the game. Figure 1.
Minimize the impact of competitive-focused game mechanics.
Complexity can be used as a tool to add depth to a particular game mechanic. However, this can affect the progression of a player’s learning curve and increase the skill gap between players. Your game can be as complex to learn and master as you want, but creating a safe environment with tutorials or even introductory hoppers can help players learn the skills to avoid friction when playing online.
Example: Forza Motorsport 7 has a “Welcome to Multiplayer” hopper where players can start learning the ropes of the game in a multiplayer context.
Satiate emotional player needs through a harmless outlet.
Provide a safe way for players to express emotion. Things like emotes and taunts can help guide the way your players interact with each other. It’s worth mentioning that players can still abuse this system and be toxic in non-verbal ways, so be cautious with this point.
Adjust match length based on desired emotional response.
Time can affect the way a player perceives results. Since games have a high emotional investment, there are elevated feelings when one wins, but also equally devastating feelings when one loses. Be sure to reward players for their time. Early termination options like surrender systems can help reduce the burden of continue playing an unwinnable match.
Facilitate team interdependency in role-based games.
Role-based multiplayer games have an extra layer of strategy that requires better communication between players. Since success is not achieved through individual performance, role assignment and correct execution can be a source of conflict as well.
Example: Overwatch tries to ease this process by informing players of the composition of the team and suggesting roles that might be needed to succeed. This can also be approached from a matchmaking perspective, where players can choose their desired role to play and only match with other players that require filling that role.
Games can help us foster relationships, develop skills in a controlled environment, and bring us to new worlds to experience happiness. Gaming should always be a safe space where people can have fun. Online multiplayer games are one of the most engaging experiences out there for gamers, so let’s leverage this to build a healthier community, where people show good sportsmanship and experience empathy, inside and outside games.