“We can just say it and we say we know what it means, but then do you really know what it means?”. Understanding experiences, constructions and management of toxic gaming communities: A League of Legends case study

This thesis reports a study of the interpretation and management of toxic gaming communities through the case of League of Legends (LoL). The thesis positions games as a form of interactional culture where meanings about belonging, behaviour and language are created, and thereby shape, gaming communities. A critical review of the literature on community, culture and toxicity identifies a knowledge gap in understanding toxicity in online gaming.

As insider research, this study privileges participant voice in using players’ accounts to understand how players interpret toxicity, and second, why players continue to play LoL when their gaming community is described as ‘toxic’. This is explored through a mixed methods research design, beginning with a mixed methods survey with 152 participants from thirty countries. This is followed by seventeen qualitative interviews, with participants located in seven countries. Analysis of descriptive statistics from the quantitative survey is followed by thematic analysis of qualitative survey data and semi-structured interviews.

Players’ introductions to LoL are found to be primarily through friends, family or partners, and established players become instrumental in supporting new players through toxicity. The nuances of interpreting and understanding toxicity are identified, noting a discrepancy between players and game developers. Interpretation of toxic behaviours is found to be driven by five factors, including offline characteristics, approaches to play, and knowledge. Players’ agency in mitigating and manging their gameplay experiences was reported to include use of muting and pre-made teams. Players continued engagement with LoL was due to its uniqueness, and its provision of immersive lore, familiarity and social opportunities. An original tool, the Toxicity Interpretation Framework, is derived from the study to further understanding of toxicity. The thesis concludes by considering toxicity as a reflection of aspects of our social world, with recommendations for addressing toxicity via player agency.