Report: 30% of women experience toxicity and abuse while playing online games
PickFu and Utopia Analytics have shared a report on toxicity, misogyny, and missing moderation in online games. According to the data, most online gamers experienced or witnessed different forms of harassment from other players.
The report is based on a survey of 1000 US-based players between ages 18-74, who play games on console, PC, and mobile platforms.
Key takeaways
- 38% of gamers experienced toxic behavior directly, while 32% witnessed it while playing online titles.
- Almost half of the toxic behavior centered around people’s ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation.
- 30% of women experienced abuse and toxicity while playing online games. Most of them (72%) faced misogyny, while none of the male respondents faced any form of gender-based discrimination.
- MMORPG is the most toxic genre, with more than 50% of players experiencing toxic interactions while playing these games. It is followed by action, adventure, and simulation titles.
“The reality, in gamers’ own words, is that these negative interactions significantly impact their mental health and enjoyment of games. This should be a wake-up call for the industry to make gaming a safe space for everyone,” PickFu co-founder John Li said.
The full report can be found here.
