Gaming has been plagued with toxicity since time immemorial. It is a problem common in every genre, not to mention the fact that it pervades esports. We have even seen how it can significantly affect a game as a whole.
Of course, toxicity in gaming is more than just the usual heated moments. Sure, players who continuously drop racial slurs can be extremely annoying. However, there are plenty of ways to negatively impact the overall gaming experience.
Valve made headlines recently after it introduced the 20-year ban in Dota 2. It is cool that video game companies are starting to acknowledge the existence of toxicity, which is not only present in a single form. What is more, these companies are finally prioritizing the user experience more.
It is worth noting that the 20-year ban does not mean you will be banned until 2038. It just has something to do with the way computers deal with measuring time. And while this ban is without a doubt a much-needed one, it boils down to one question: Is the 20-year ban effective in changing a player’s behavior?
The main concern players have with most bans, not just in Dota 2, is that studios usually do this in order to appease the crowd. We have seen the likes of these bans implemented in games like Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Siege. The studio did its best to battle a slew of cheaters and DDosers, but the ban did not necessarily resolve the issues.
If you compare it in the real world, recent studies say that implementing longer sentences do not always deter most criminals. It is, in fact, the opposite. So, to say that the 20-year ban is more effective than any ban hammers video game companies have implemented in the past is just outright ridiculous.
Perhaps a model Valve should follow is Riot’s behavior modification method, which is really a successful one in fighting toxicity in League of Legends. You see, this method is not just about identifying problem users – it is also capable of influencing a player’s behavior and to encourage him/her to change over time.
So, is the 20-year ban even effective? Not necessarily. Sure, it is good that Valve has finally taken a step towards mitigating problem users. But with the way it is being implemented, it is merely a temporary solution to a never-ending issue in Dota 2.
