In a stunning move that will totally end up not being used as a meme for the enjoyment and satisfaction of trolls across the internet, Microsoft has released a new set of community standards for its Xbox services.
While I am all for a community that is overall less toxic and more focused on enjoying the game, there’s always something that goes wrong whenever a company tries to push things in a community. I’m not knocking on their efforts or anything, and my overall thoughts is this was a commendable effort to try and make the experience as enjoyable to as many people as possible. I can’t help laughing, though, when I read some of what Microsoft considers as examples of fine and acceptable trash talk.
The community standards were broken down into ten parts. Here are some of the more interesting ones:
Keep it legal – here Microsoft tells you keep all your activities in the community within the bounds of the law. It also listed some examples of what NOT to do in the community:
- Tell other players to “KYS” or commit self-harm
- Use the flag of a terrorist organization as your club’s profile pic
Do your part to keep everyone safe – basically, no behavior designed to harm or threaten everyone in the community. This is a must for all communities in general, of course, but surely everyone knows that by now, right?
Keep your content clean – and this is where they post what’s acceptable and what’s not. I’ve played during the early years of the first Xbox, playing Timesplitters: Future Perfect against other people on Xbox Live with a headset and a microphone. I therefore have some very intimate knowledge of trash talk, and just how dirty it can get. It’s pretty hilarious to see, then, what passes off as acceptable trash talk. Here are some examples below:
Acceptable trash talk includes
Get destroyed. Can’t believe you thought you were on my level.
That was some serious potato aim. Get wrecked.
Only reason you went positive was you spent all game camping. Try again, kid.
Cheap win. Come at me when you can actually drive without running cars off the road.
That sucked. Get good and then come back when your k/d’s over 1.
Going too far looks like
Get [sexual threat]. Can’t believe you thought you were on my level.
Hey [profanity], that was some serious potato aim. Get wrecked, trash.
Only reason you went positive was you spent all game camping. KYS, kid.
Cheap win. Totally expected from a [racial slur].
You suck. Get out of my country—maybe they’ll let you back in when your k/d’s over 1.
Now, I have to admit that I will probably use potato aim from now on, especially on Apex Legends, but the others would probably get you made fun of even more.
Yes, it’s a commendable effort overall, and I think for the most part everyone can have fun without taking it out on some people. My gripe is just how unrealistic and weak those trash talks are. Maybe the best advice one can offer in this situation goes something like this: there’s a mute button in almost every online multiplayer game. Use it.
