Buzz
Am I the only one noticing that politics seems to have infiltrated almost every video game with a chat feature? Even though Election Day has passed (and we still don’t know who the next president will be), I’m sure I haven’t seen the last of phrases like “TRUMP 2020,” “MAGA,” or worse, flooding the chat in World of Warcraft’s Orgrimmar (or Barrens). And it’s not just me—many gamers are dealing with this issue:
The list goes on. While the best advice for dealing with toxic political chat in games might be, “just ignore it,” that’s not always a simple fix. For instance, if you’re playing an MMO where crucial information pops up in the same window as chat, it becomes much harder to ignore someone accusing you of being a terrible [insert political affiliation here]. If text or voice chat plays a significant role in the game—especially in team-based games—you could find yourself at a competitive disadvantage if you try to block it out.
What can you do in this situation? You have a few choices.
Look for plugins that can remove political discussions from your chat
This recommendation mainly applies to massively-multiplayer games that support plugins and add-ons. In games like World of Warcraft, for instance, you can find add-ons that offer a global ignore list. Once you add an annoying player to the list, you won’t have to deal with them on any of your alternate characters. You can even set an automatic timer to remove them from the list, giving you the option for a temporary ban. Plus, you can create custom filters for your chat, whether you're targeting political trolls or just annoying players selling gold.
Hide the chat (or simply hide the trolls)
If your game doesn’t allow you to modify or automatically hide messages in its chat system, you might still be able to hide the chat so it’s not constantly in your face. Some games might even keep the chat box, but remove everyone’s messages, allowing you to see only the important game details without the distraction. In MMOs, you’re likely able to leave certain public channels and stick to safer spaces—like your guild chat—so you can avoid everyone’s opinions interfering with your gameplay.
Also, make sure you’re playing the latest version of the games you enjoy, and check the patch notes to see if new features have been added that could help you block trolls. For example, in Among Us, a recent update reportedly makes it harder for players to spam the chat with political nonsense. Soon, the game will roll out a moderation and reporting system, which should help reduce the sus political chatter.
Avoid voice chat (if possible)
I’ve never played Fortnite with voice chat enabled because I don’t need anyone reminding me how bad I am at it. The same goes for any first-person shooter. Part of it is because I’m terrible, but also because I don’t need 14-year-olds yelling racist slurs at me just to show off for their friends (or thousands of Twitch followers).
I’m not saying you can’t handle yourself online. But if you want to avoid a stream of nonsense coming your way, simply dig through your game’s settings and see if you can turn off voice chat. I bet you’ll feel much better when it’s quieter.
Don’t be afraid to report someone
I’m totally guilty of this. When I see awful comments in a game’s chat, I usually just roll my eyes and keep going. I never stop to think, “hey, I could report this jerk, and maybe enough reports will get the game’s moderators to act.”
Nobody enjoys being a snitch. But also, no one likes chat trolls. Don’t report someone just because they did something silly, like spamming “TRUMP 2020” to everyone. If it’s a one-time thing and they get it out of their system, fine. But save your reports for those who are constantly profane, offensive, or just won’t quit. You’re not reporting them because you’re offended. We can all handle bad language. You’re reporting them because they’re being rude, uncreative, and spammy.
Don’t worry. You’ll sleep just fine at night knowing your account stays active. Watching someone’s years of hard work, accomplishments, and clever online name disappear because they couldn’t control their mouth is its own form of justice.
Chat somewhere else—like Discord
If you absolutely need to use a chat feature while gaming, consider switching to another service entirely—one where you, or a moderator, set the rules, rather than relying on a company that might not be too concerned about tackling spam.
In other words, switch to Discord. You can add an in-game overlay to any game you’re playing, providing a smooth real-time chat experience that’s separate from the game itself. Plus, you get voice chat. While it won’t let you chat with your teammates unless you’re in a guild and using Discord to communicate, it’s still a solid option. If, or when, the game’s chat moderation doesn’t cut it, take your conversations elsewhere.
