Mic or No Mic?
Voice Chatting
Gamers understand the usual gripes of voice chat, and every gamer recognizes the stereotypes both good and bad. You will hear the screamers and the heavy breathers who are just oblivious to the ear pain they cause until we’re begging them to stop. And let’s not forget about the toxic users who really should have their mics removed.
To top it all off, voice chat users can encounter verbal abuse for their race, equipment quality, speech impediments, gender and many others. It’s no wonder many people choose to remain silent even at the risk of hindering the team due to lack of verbal communication. Another group that also receives plenty of toxic comments and are often left out of the gaming discussions are trans men and women. They are unfortunately harassed for being themselves. I understand how that can discourage them from using their mics to the point where they may consider opting out of the gaming community.
Dealing With In-Game Communication
It’s best to remember that when cyber bullying does occur to take a deep breath. Do not let the trolls crawl under your skin since that is exactly what they intend to achieve. And if you are feeling up to it remind them that you are there to play a game and that toxicity helps no one.
Unfortunately, muting or blocking the community is the best response to the toxicity. It’s not ideal but there is no point in arguing with people online knowing the keyboard shield they sit behind emboldens them. Most of the time, they have already made up their minds to cause harm without feeling any remorse.
You can become comfortable using mics while ignoring the negative behavior but it takes time. It’s better to play with friends first then pick and choose the games in which you use your mic. In some cases, winning means not having a choice but to use your mic. For instance, games like Apex Legends, Call of Duty and League of Legends benefit the most from voice chat usage. Your team wins more often if you’re talking to each other in real-time. These games are fast-paced and highly competitive. If you are looking into starting competitive play, choosing not to be in voice chat is almost non-negotiable. These types of games are also prone to having more toxic players due to the intensity of the matches and large player pool. If you want to slowly dive in to voice chat, consider trying VR Chat, Heroes of the Storm, and Overwatch.
It’s Your Choice and Yours Alone
Do you use your mic or do you prefer to stay on mute? Let us know in the comments!