Why is it most companies will add snippets into their Terms of Service about conduct when using the Chat interface in game but rarely enforce it. There are some, LOTRO for instance that have and actively work to maintain civil well behaved communities yet the vast majority, to quote Obi-Wan Kenobi “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.” Are the problems societal? Meaning are subsequent generations going to progressively become more and more abrasive as they join the ranks of MMO Players?
As to rules in a games Terms of Service, if they are not going to be enforced why have them? Let us take a look at a few snippets.
B. Rules Related to “Chat” and Interaction With Other Users. … When engaging in Chat, you may not:
(i) Transmit or post any content or language which, in the sole and absolute discretion of Blizzard, is deemed to be offensive, including without limitation content or language that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful, sexually explicit, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable, nor may you use a misspelling or an alternative spelling to circumvent the content and language restrictions listed above;
That’s from WoW’s Terms of Service.
- You may not victimize, harass, threaten, or cause another player unwanted distress or discomfort, as determined by Support Staff.
- You may not use any offensive or sexually explicit language, graphic descriptions, or accounts of sexual acts (including but not limited to sexual language of a violent or threatening nature directed at another individual or group of individuals).
- You may not use any unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful, racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable language toward any other player.
The above is from Ultima Online’s Service Rules of Conduct
- You may not use any abusive, defamatory, ethnically or racially offensive, harassing, harmful, hateful, obscene, offensive, sexually explicit, threatening or vulgar language. (Alternate spelling or partial masking of such words will be reprimanded in the same manner as the actual use of such words.)
- You may not organize nor be a member of any corporation or group within EVE Online that is based on or advocates any anti-ethnic, anti-gay, anti-religious, racist, sexist or other hate-mongering philosophies
EvE Online’s Terms of Service anyone?
Why I point this out is this, none of these games is aggressive in enforcing these rules. Now I’m not asking for “Hello Kitty Online” or anything, but when you are constantly bombarded with vulgarity, sexually explicit language, and general harassment , where is the Customer Service. Are they off answering tickets for people? How do we know if they are? I put in a ticket about a game Bug in SWTOR a few days ago and it took 3 days to get a response. The only answers as to why something as simple as community guidelines are not enforced is as simple as this.
- The Studio doesn’t care as long as they get their money.
- The Studio isn’t employing nearly enough Customer Support (Seriously when poor service becomes a Meme you guys should really take a look at it.)
- The Customer Support is not properly trained or simply do not care.
This to me is a real issue, I like playing games and while I, myself don’t have a thin skins, this is not the behavior I want to expose my Son/Daughter too when she becomes a teen and developed the dexterity and has fully engaged in the formal operational stage of cognitive development (read that as the ability to think abstractly) necessary to actually play the games I do. Seriously I like my games and want to share them with my family, but I can not conceive of doing so in most of today’s MMO’s.
I think this hampers the life span of games in a way. Instead of people introducing their children to games as early to mid-teens, they are being introduced to newer games as later teens/young adults, once they enter the workforce and gain a measure of financial independence. Look at it this way, how many business’ especially of the Mom and Pop variety have been passed down generation to generation? How many foods, singers, styles of clothing, cologne, perfume, sports teams, television shows etc. do you or have you used, watched, listened too, eaten, etc. simply because they are a family legacy type of thing? Using “Mom’s” apple pie recipe she was handed down from her mother, who received it from your great-grand mother. Why aren’t companies looking to build communities in a way that embraces familial units by making it reasonable for people to introduce their children, once they reach an acceptable age, to the game and a new generation becomes hooked… Board Game companies have advertised around this strategy for years promoting “Family Game Night!” as has other entertainment media companies. The Video Game industry needs to jump on board this train.