Toxicidad en los videojuegos. Caso de estudio en jugadores de League of Legends

Abstract

This article investigates the toxic behaviors that arise within the video game League of Legends as well as in its communication dynamics, with emphasis on the interaction that arises in the game matches, among all types of players. This analysis is carried out through a qualitative approach where two methods are applied: the thematic analysis carried out with semi-structured interviews to players and with the content analysis of real games of the game, with the purpose of understanding how the toxicity present in this highly competitive virtual environment arises, is maintained and impacts on the game community. This analysis is supported by different contributions from authors such as Herbert Blumer with symbolic interaction, Erving Goffman with social dramaturgy and Albert Bandura with social learning theory. Thanks to these contributions, it is understood how players generate their identity according to the game and its context where they acquire a role to relate and interact with others and where they perform learned and imitated behavior patterns and reproduce them through language in the chat of the games. The findings allow us to understand that toxicity is an ingrained part of the video game experience, and this is very normalized with its community and in communication through chat. This is due to various factors such as frustration, anonymity, competitiveness and lack of adequate sanctions. Although the video game is also a space of socialization and belonging for many people, especially young people, which generates this need to rethink the dynamics of communication in these digital spaces.