Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate toxic behaviour (TB) that significantly harms individuals’ gameplay experience in multiplayer online video games. Multiplayer online video games allow to simultaneously interact with others in real time. They can be considered as digital communities unifying a group of players within a video game. TB is characterized by spreading a bad mood (e.g. upsetting and insulting) leading to unsatisfying outcomes in team-based multiplayer environments.

Design/methodology/approach

Using mixed methods, the authors show that handling TB should be addressed more firmly on a level of game design. First, the authors test the explanatory power of the online disinhibition effect (ODE) and its antecedents on TB using a quantitative survey (N = 320) and structural equation modelling. Specifically, the authors show that dissociative anonymity, asynchronicity, solipsistic introjection, dissociative imagination and minimization of authority have a mediated effect through toxic disinhibition as predictors of TB. Second, the authors conduct a focus group workshop (N = 10) with experts from diverse disciplines to derive design principles on a level of game design.

Findings

The results indicate that transparency and imminent feedback are still underutilized elements in game design that can significantly buffer several forms of TB. By developing a heuristic prototype and exemplary design principles in subsequent categories, the authors address all relevant in-game scenarios. With this study, the authors provide researchers and practitioners helpful insights on how to increase the well-being and safety of gaming communities.

Originality/value

ODE already showed its explanatory potential in the neighbouring context of cyberbullying. Embedded in theories of negative behaviour on the internet, the authors propose a holistic and theory-driven approach to handle TB on a level of game design. The authors’ insights allow for a better understanding of an innovative entity of the dark side of technology diffusion and adverse side effects linked to it.

中文翻译：

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治愈毒性——开发设计原则来缓冲大型多人在线游戏中的毒性行为

目的

本文的目的是调查严重损害个人在多人在线视频游戏中的游戏体验的有毒行为 (TB)。多人在线视频游戏允许同时与他人实时互动。它们可以被视为将电子游戏中的一组玩家统一起来的数字社区。TB 的特点是在基于团队的多人游戏环境中散播坏情绪（例如沮丧和侮辱），导致令人不满意的结果。

设计/方法/方法

作者使用混合方法表明，应该在游戏设计的层面上更坚定地解决结核病问题。首先，作者使用定量调查 (N = 320) 和结构方程模型测试了在线去抑制效应 (ODE) 及其前因对 TB 的解释力。具体而言，作者表明，解离性匿名、异步性、唯我论内射、解离想象和权威最小化通过毒性解除抑制作为 TB 的预测因子具有中介作用。其次，作者与来自不同学科的专家举办了一个焦点小组研讨会（N = 10），以推导出游戏设计层面的设计原则。

发现

结果表明，透明度和即时反馈仍然是游戏设计中未充分利用的元素，可以显着缓冲多种形式的 TB。通过在后续类别中开发启发式原型和示例性设计原则，作者解决了所有相关的游戏内场景。通过这项研究，作者为研究人员和从业者提供了有关如何提高游戏社区的福祉和安全性的有用见解。

原创性/价值

ODE 已经在网络欺凌的邻近环境中显示出其解释潜力。嵌入在互联网上的消极行为理论中，作者提出了一种整体的、理论驱动的方法来在游戏设计层面上处理结核病。作者的见解有助于更好地了解技术传播的阴暗面和与之相关的不利副作用的创新实体。