Encourages Anti-Social Behavior
The game incentivizes players to lie, cheat, or backstab other players to get ahead.
Some games encourage anti-social behavior. Combat games may encourage you to kill other players in violent ways. Driving games may encourage you to drive recklessly and break the law. Other games may encourage you to lie, deceive, steal from or backstab other players to get ahead in the game. Some games may even allow or encourage some form of cheating.
Within the context of the game, these behaviors are normalized, but you still feel bad when you are on the receiving end of one of these anti-social behaviors. If you have invested time and perhaps money into a game and then lose some of that because a friend backstabs you, that's going to cause some unwanted bad feelings. If someone steals some of your in-game resources, that may make you angry and require you to spend more time and money earning those resources back.
For some players, being on the receiving end of one of these behaviors may make them feel a need for revenge. If the player is part of a team, they may be able to enlist their teammates to pick on a particular player in the game. This will cause a negative experience for that player and may prevent them from enjoying the game.
Within the context of the game, these behaviors are normalized, but you still feel bad when you are on the receiving end of one of these anti-social behaviors. If you have invested time and perhaps money into a game and then lose some of that because a friend backstabs you, that's going to cause some unwanted bad feelings. If someone steals some of your in-game resources, that may make you angry and require you to spend more time and money earning those resources back.
For some players, being on the receiving end of one of these behaviors may make them feel a need for revenge. If the player is part of a team, they may be able to enlist their teammates to pick on a particular player in the game. This will cause a negative experience for that player and may prevent them from enjoying the game.
Citations and Sources • Dark Patterns in the Design of Games
• Wikipedia :: Video Game Controversies
• Wikipedia :: Video Game Controversies
Examples
Invasion: Modern Empire"yes, its literally a war game"
Clash of Clans"Core gameplay mechanic is attacking others."
MONOPOLY GO!"A part of the core gameplay is stealing from friends and destroying their buildings"
Crafting and Building"It s minecraft"
MARVEL SNAP"griefing seems to be totaly normal and unpunished (e.g. conquest mode: you run into tons of people that play the first 3 turn, then retreat (Booster/Seasonpass farmer), forcing you to sit trough 6 min of doing nothing relevant or retreating and giving them the win)"
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links"Basically the meta community"
World War Rising"There isn't much backstabbing, thank goodness."
Cat Mario Run"this game is homophobic"
King of Thieves"Raiding other player dungeons is literally the point of the game"
Single City: Life Metaverse"very much so."