Why League of Legends' Design Encourages Toxicity | Design Delve

Summary

This video delves into why Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas (MOBA) games like League of Legends and Dota 2 are notorious for their toxicity. It explores how the core design of MOBAs—such as permanent stats, solo laning, and the high-stakes nature of objectives—creates a perfect storm for frustration and blame, fueling toxic behavior. Despite measures to address toxicity, the game's difficulty curve and the requirement for team coordination only exacerbate the issue. While the genre remains popular due to its unique design, the video suggests muting toxic players as the best way to enjoy the game.

Takeaways

• 😀 MOBAs (Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas) are notoriously toxic due to their inherent game design, not just the players themselves.
• 🤔 Laning in MOBAs, where players are often isolated for the first critical 15 minutes, creates a power imbalance that's hard to fix without worsening the situation.
• 💥 The consequence of dying in a lane is permanent stat loss, which increases player frustration and contributes to toxic behavior.
• 🕹️ Unlike other multiplayer games, players in MOBAs can’t easily help struggling teammates without feeding the enemy more resources.
• ⏳ MOBAs tend to have longer game lengths (30-45 minutes on average), giving toxic players more time to vent their frustration and escalate conflicts.
• 🚫 Toxic players in MOBAs can hold matches hostage, especially when surrender systems are in place that require a majority vote.
• 🎮 The difficulty curve of MOBAs is steep, and new players often struggle with complex mechanics like map awareness, last hitting, and understanding champions.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 New players are more vulnerable to toxicity, especially when they don’t have friends to help them understand the game’s intricacies.
• 🗣️ The necessity for coordination in capturing objectives like dragons or Baron forces communication, but anonymous and hostile interactions make this difficult.
• 🔇 One coping mechanism for toxicity in MOBAs is simply muting toxic players, allowing for a more enjoyable experience despite the challenges.
• 💬 The speaker encourages discussion about whether other games have design flaws that contribute to toxicity, expanding the conversation to other multiplayer experiences.

Q & A

Why are MOBAs considered more toxic compared to other multiplayer games?

MOBAs are more toxic due to their core design, including the reliance on individual performance during laning, the inability to easily support struggling players without further feeding the enemy, and the long game durations that allow frustration to build up. These factors create an environment where players are quick to blame others and become hostile.

What is the core design flaw in MOBAs that contributes to toxicity?

The core design flaw lies in the laning system, where players are often isolated in their lanes, making them dependent on their individual performance. If a player is struggling, others cannot easily help without making the situation worse, creating frustration and potential toxicity.

How does the length of MOBAs affect player behavior?

The long match durations in MOBAs, averaging 30-45 minutes, give players ample time to recognize early signs of failure and grow frustrated. This often leads to finger-pointing, blaming teammates, and in some cases, players holding the game hostage through surrender voting.

What is the significance of 'laning' in MOBAs?

Laning refers to the phase in a MOBA where players are assigned to one of three lanes and must control their individual lane by defeating enemy minions and players. This stage is crucial because it has a permanent impact on the game, where early successes or failures can dictate the overall match outcome.

Why do players get frustrated when they can't help struggling teammates in MOBAs?

In MOBAs, players are often isolated in their lanes, and helping a struggling teammate can feed the enemy team, making the situation worse. This creates a sense of helplessness and frustration, as players feel powerless to improve the overall team situation without making things worse.

What is the role of objectives like dragons or Baron in MOBAs?

Objectives like dragons and Baron serve as opportunities for teams to gain an advantage or recover from a bad start. These objectives require coordination and communication, which can be challenging when players are anonymous and not working together effectively, potentially leading to frustration and toxicity.

How does the difficulty curve of MOBAs contribute to toxic behavior?

The steep difficulty curve in MOBAs requires players to learn numerous skills such as map awareness, character abilities, and strategies. This can lead to frustration, especially when new players are unfamiliar with these mechanics, making them easy targets for toxic players who blame them for mistakes.

Why is the reinforcement loop in MOBAs so impactful?

The reinforcement loop in MOBAs means that when one team gains an advantage, it becomes easier for them to continue to dominate, while a losing team finds it increasingly difficult to catch up. This loop can amplify feelings of frustration and helplessness, contributing to toxicity when players feel their efforts are futile.

How does the anonymity of players affect communication in MOBAs?

The anonymity of players in MOBAs, combined with the open party chat, creates an environment where toxic behavior can flourish. Players may use offensive language or blame teammates without consequences, which further exacerbates frustration and negative interactions.

What can be done to address toxicity in MOBAs without changing their core design?

While the core design of MOBAs contributes to toxicity, players can mitigate the impact by muting toxic individuals and focusing on enjoying the game. Additionally, promoting better communication and encouraging positive behavior could help reduce the overall level of toxicity.