As a gamer, it’s hard not to feel some level of frustration when you see other gamers being disrespectful or hateful towards one another. It doesn’t matter what the gender, sexual orientation, or race is- if someone is offensive and violent in an online gaming environment, they need to be dealt with accordingly.
But what happens when the offender isn’t just on your screen? What about in person at a convention? How can we stay safe from these types of people? This blog post will focus on best preparing for a diverse gaming environment, especially around conventions.
1. Stay Aware
It’s important to be aware of your surroundings and the people around you. If there is a situation that doesn’t feel right or someone who makes you uncomfortable, remove yourself from the situation as soon as possible and report it immediately. Don’t worry about looking like a “wuss” if someone isn’t overtly threatening- you’re looking out for your own safety.
2. Stay Together
It’s best to stay within a group while attending conventions and gaming events, especially if it is in an unfamiliar location or at night. You may feel like you can defend yourself on your own, but unexpected dangers usually lurking around a dark corner or down a dimly lit ally.
3. Game Boosters
It’s good to know who your friends and competitors are. Game boosters work as a middle-man between players: boosting gamers up through the ranks of competitive tournaments, buying and selling games, and helping players connect with one another by creating web pages for both groups and individuals.
Game Boosters can also be an amazing resource for promoting diversity in the gaming community. Game Boosters started as a small group of gamers who came together to help promote diversity in the gaming community, and we hope that this blog post will serve as an encouragement for you gamers to do your part in making sure everyone feels like they can game without fear.
4. Keep An Eye Out
Conventions and gaming events also present the opportunity for Game Boosters (and those with bad intentions) to take your money or your time. Game Boosters are those people who try to play with you or against you for a “price.” They may also offer to help boost your game rather than using the Game Console controllers provided at an event. Be careful of these Game Boosters because chances are, they will try something fishy that could end up costing you.
5. Game Console Etiquette
At large gaming events, it’s easy to find someone waiting for you to finish up on one Game Console so they can take their turn. Game console etiquette is important because there are usually long lines of people who want to play the same game that you do. If you decide not to share, be sure that your Game Console is fully charged when leaving your Game Console in use.
6. Report Suspicious Behavior Immediately
If you notice anything suspicious, report it immediately to Game Staff or security at the event or convention. Game Artists (the people who make up Game Staff) help protect Game Players and Game Boosters from any harmful situations that would arise from Game Boosters trying to engage Game Players.
As a Game Player, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and your people to stay safe. If there is a situation that doesn’t feel right or someone who makes you uncomfortable, remove yourself from the situation as soon as possible and report it immediately.
Diverse environments are becoming more common in the gaming world, and that’s a good thing. Stay safe by keeping your head up and looking out for other players at all times. The key to staying safe is knowing how not to take any chances when interacting with strangers online.
Follow these simple guidelines, and you can enjoy playing games without worrying about safety. Any worries or concerns should be directed towards an expert who knows their way around this kind of environment – we’re always here! Have you taken any steps yet?
