Indulging in the Fascinating World of Video Game Communities on Reddit
In May, Oddsseeker conducted an intriguing study on Reddit to determine which video game communities have the highest prevalence of profanity and which are home to the most linguistically diverse fanbases. While not a scientifically rigorous study, it offers a fun and engaging look into the online gaming world.
Spanning 25 popular video game subreddits and analyzing 366,904 posts from the past year, the study identifies the most toxic communities based on their use of unique words. Surprisingly, League of Legends players emerge as the champions of linguistic prowess, while Grand Theft Auto V players exhibit a more limited vocabulary. It’s worth noting that despite having one of the largest subreddits, Grand Theft Auto V enthusiasts use a relatively small number of unique words.
When examining console owners, Nintendo fans take the lead in terms of linguistic diversity. However, the numbers are quite close across all platforms, with PC gamers surprisingly not dominating the list despite their deep knowledge of technical terms like FLOPS.
Switching gears to explore vulgarity, the study compares the frequency of curse words across different subreddits. The findings reveal that the Hogwarts Legacy community exhibits the highest level of profanity, with Call of Duty: Warzone, Starcraft, and Grand Theft Auto V following closely behind. Interestingly, the Hogwarts Legacy users seem to prefer the word “piss,” while the Nintendo Switch community favors the word “screw,” leaving room for interpretation as to the intended meaning and context.
Exploring Toxicity Levels Within Video Game Communities
The study also delves into the issue of toxicity, analyzing the sentiment conveyed in posts to determine the level of negativity within each community. Unsurprisingly, online gaming communities like Apex Legends, League of Legends, and Call of Duty: Warzone rank among the highest in terms of toxicity. In contrast, the Nintendo fandom, including Animal Crossing, Pokemon, and The Legend of Zelda, exhibits a significantly lower level of negative sentiment.
Similar to the linguistic diversity analysis, toxicity levels do not vary significantly across different gaming platforms, with Nintendo and Nintendo Switch communities generally exhibiting less toxicity compared to others.
Interpreting the Results with Caution
It’s crucial to approach this study with a level of skepticism, as it is not without limitations. Oddsseeker, primarily a sports betting site, provides a transparent account of their methodology, suggesting an impartial approach to their findings. However, it’s worth noting that the study omitted some significant fanbases, such as the Sonic the Hedgehog and Suda51 communities.
While the study associates linguistic diversity with intelligence and profanity with a lack thereof, it is essential to recognize that these factors do not define one’s intellectual or personal capabilities. However, they may reflect the overall friendliness and culture within a community.
Ultimately, this study offers valuable insights, but it should not be taken as an absolute truth. Instead, it serves as a reminder for individuals to strive to be the best versions of themselves online and to uphold positive, respectful engagement within gaming communities.
And let’s not forget that our very own Destructoid community is the epitome of excellence and has mastered the art of creative vulgarities.
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