If you think GG is potentially harmful, I don’t think you could have survived the early days of online PvP chat/voice chat. What gets considered toxic these days was basically considered polite during the CS 1.6 days.
But you do:
You are giving a different meaning behind ‘good game’ by saying it is sportsmanship.
Literally it means ‘good game’ , eventhough it could have been a horrible game right?
You yourself add the meaning sportsmanship through it by context.
1 Like
Exactly, it lost much value.
no one should get offended by this at all. Even growing up and playing sports, at the end you would shake hangs with the opponents and say good game to all of them. Didnt matter how much they beat you by or how much you beat them by. Its just sportsmanship. Everyone is just getting stupid and complaining about stupid things these days
2 Likes
It means : “we did our best, you did your best, and the best team won”. It might have been a horrible game, it doesn’t matter. When people say it, they’re acknowledging the fact that the other team did as best they could, even if it was actually bad. They’re being supportive, friendly, and respectful. It IS good sportsmanship, period.
Let’s apply your “logic” to tennis : Rafael Nadal won in Roland Garros last year 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 against C. Ruud. He completely dominated. And yet, they shake hands, hug, and Rafa pats him on the back. By your logic, that’s BAD. He shouldn’t have done that. It was a horrible game for Ruud, so I guess Rafa should have exited the court without saying anything to his opponent ? That’s idiotic.
You are the one applying a different meaning to “GG”. You are the one not being a sportsman. Again, stop reading into things, stop trying to find offense where there is none.
Those who don’t understand how something can be toxic or offensive are bad communicators. Literally any word can have a negative meaning depending on the context.
What matters isn’t the actual words but the assumed intentions behind them. Bad communicators are out of tune with their environment and the context so they don’t know what those assumed intentions can be.
I usually only say “ggwp all” when the game was close and both teams put up a good fight. To me, “gg” means “good game”, as in “we had a good fight/well fought” sort of thing.
So whenever our team gets steam-rolled or we steam-roll the enemy team and the game ends in less than 3 minutes, I usually don’t bother saying and just go next.
Also, that first reply to OP made me laugh. 
1 Like
I’m gonna highlight it, in case people did not notice : “What matters isn’t the actual words but the assumed intentions”. All the problem is summed up right there. You’re ASSUMING bad intentions. You’re “reading into people’s minds” something that isn’t there. The problem is not people saying GG, the problem is you, and all of you who “assume” things with no basis.
1 Like
Not without a reason. Chat in this game is used mostly by angry, toxic and socially inept people, the rest of the players usually don’t even bother to join chat. Overwatch isn’t special in this regard, a lot of online video games are similar. In an environment like this it isn’t difficult not assume good intentions when a message pops up in chat.
1 Like
Anecdotal evidence at best
Obviously. What’s you point? Did you expect me to provide scientific proof after describing my personal experience?
If you want every statement to be followed by scientific proof then gaming forums aren’t the best places for you. It’s weird people like you who make me assume bad things when I’m interacting with players.
grow up
How sensitive do you have to be to make a post telling people not to say gg?
1 Like
I love when I post this it gets deleted yet you do and it’s still here
Again several places are removing the traditional pregame or psot game sportsmanship due to younger kids getting violent or inappropriate with the single touch. From headbutts, to life threats/insults, to even broken hands. I shouldn’t have to explain this how common sportsmanship doesn’t mean the same thing as it did decades ago.
This is not tennis. Its not a one versus one duel. Its not some publicized televised eventd. Eqch individual player does not have a huge following or a crowd of fans to be a role model to…
When it comes down to it people just be meqn just to be mean.
As mentioned before. Try asking if people really do mean GG after a game when they say it. The replies may shock you. I know it shocked me.
The msot basic forn of communication can be drawn back to animals. From bowing their heads in submission to even just standing tall to assert dominance. Their behavior and meaning behind it mattered.
In the same context here its not just people saying words. You don’t see what they are doing or how they react at the end of a match.
We can see the examples of streamers winning a match and many of them are frustrated or highly aggressive. “F*&% that Sombra!”, “Hah! Eat it Widow.”, “Bad Ball. Horrible.”, “Tank/supp/dps diff.”
Like another piece of evidence is how many OW slang terms we have specifically for just negative things in game rather than positive stuff. Like they’re not even used to meme its more to be insulting straight forward plain and simple.
Thank you for that. See we all should be enjoying the game first. Everyone plays it so we should all be laughing like we did on the first reply to me.
Yeah…again basic instincts. Animals aren’t as friendly because it could mean loss of territory food or their own safety.
With a game that enforces someone’s ego you can imagine how fragile that can be to break when they realize it’s all made of glass from dreams and imagination.
My only assumption is someone is preserving their own ego by going beyond just killing digital characters. They have to hit the other players’ egos too.
Lets be honest here. Its incredibly silly being told we need to expect rainbows and sunshine from every stranger we meet online.
Nah man…behind that is someone who has some selfish intentions most of the time. That human nature and basic animal instinct.
Can I chime in and say you’re wrong and silly, without providing a case or evidence?
Thank you for the example of how OW players usually act to one another. Not to be mean but there was warning posts people would act this way.
Idk. How often do you say it but don’t mean it? Or how often so you chime into a conversation to make a snide laughing comment?
We’re trying to be civil here. But many are like “hah hah! GG grow up! You lose meh meh meeeh!”
That sort of deal you know? I’m actually interested in how the basic psycology aspects skip pass peoples’ minds for a diluded tradition that doesn’t pertain to their generation at all. It’s borrowed from mine and I’m an old gamer. A really old gamer.
That has not been my experience so far, but I can’t speak to yours.
No, but it’s the same principle as in sport.
Best case scenario : they really do. Worst case scenario : they don’t really mean it, they just do it out of habit. Either way, it’s absolutely not “problematic”.
Mumbo-jumbo is the first thing that came to my mind when I read… this “brilliant” lecture. But after that, my second thought was : “wait a second… that’s PPD !”. PPD : paranoid personality disorder. Here’s what the DSM V says about it :
"Global mistrust and suspicion of others motives. The seven sub features are:
1.The person with PPD will believe others are using, lying to, or harming them, without apparent evidence thereof.
2.They will have doubts about the loyalty and trustworthiness of others,
4.They will interpret ambiguous or benign remarks as hurtful or threatening, and
5. Hold grudges,
6. In the absence of objective evidence, believe their reputation or character are being assailed by others, and will retaliate in some manner".
That is quite exactly what you are doing. Sorry man, it’s not “ego” and “instinct” in others that is the problem, it’s you…
Yeah and bsck to my post about instinct where most animals mean to maul or abuse the other…so that’s why first glance or first gesture mean nothing but bad news for wildkind.
I really think my issue is I’m too nice of a guy to let things go. I hate having people act bad just because they can and feel the need to speak up.
We can go over alpha and beta behavior and how that has leaked into modern day culture where we ourselves are revoking to primal states because the internet indulges us in ways the real world cannot to where yes…we even devokved in thought process.
Instead of copying an excuse letter written by some spoiled brat who had their way paved through college we can discuss with our own minds, how GG became twisted and not excuse any hidden bad will or intent from an overused statement, that again was created during mt days in a much different competitive gaming scene, that held context to the nature of gaming and NOT SPORTS.
It could be said that the forced business model to turn gaming into a sport is what creates the aggression over a false pretense that competituve gaming could somehow become the new chess in the olympics. But that couldn’t be further from the truth here.
We are nowhere near that level of recognition and never for a single game if video gaming was to be considered a sport ever.
Those are two different worlds and GG being considered the handshake of gaming. Is among one of the weirdest and silliest things ever created. The setting the situation and the stage are all very important things her just because we see handshakes in spotlights doesn’t always mean that is the case for every handshake every time.
Hell a casual match would barely even offer one and is only conducted by individuals who condone the competitive duel.
Again 1v1s. Not randomly generated matches with a handful of people around the world.
The circumstances are much different and more prone to abuse because chances are peoppe just want to get that last word out to feel good. There’s no prestige here or some rep to defend. No its just random players playing with random people who know they can get away with certain behavior.
Hell another form of toxicity is being ivertly kind oflr masking their insults through kind gestures in a sarcastic manner.
Context matters. Not what you see undrr the spotlight for PR sake.
Oh… you feel “mauled” or “abused” by what I said ? I was just giving you my thoughts… Now, you’re free to think that most players in OW are bad people, who just want to humiliate others, and who use “GG” for that. And you can bring whatever explanation you want for that (animal kingdom, competition, etc…). But I’m free to think that making assumptions and being suspicious of others motives without evidence is a sign of personality disorder. I’m not attacking you. I have OCD and OCPD, believe me, I know what it is to have a certain personality type… I’m not a bad human being because of that, and neither are you for thinking what you think. It’s just indicative of a certain personality and worldview…
Again, I think you’re overreacting. Saying “EZ”, and “you suck” or similar things, that’s bad will or intent. It is meant to make the other feel bad. Saying GG just doesn’t fit that description. I mean, maybe, in 1 out of 100 cases, GG will be used to demean others. The rest of the time, it’s just a polite way to end a game.
1 Like
No I just find it commical when sportmanship in essence is thinking about your fellow player and of course is usually staged as a method to ensure sponsors don’t drop you at a moments notice.
Again we have no reason to pretend our reputation in a single match means anything. OW has all the factors that play into letting someone act up for one or two matches and then never seeing that player again.
We on the internet already know how others will act because behind the screen we are untouchable, annoynomous, hidden from any actual rependations that would occur to us.
After all accounts are free. So harmful behavior can be tolerated one day and maybe not the next, but a simple registration can rectify that then its all a waiting game.
As strangers. I have no reason to respect you or give you anything more than needed from a passing glance. That is basic psycology.
If we were to meet up periodically with other then that would be a different story as now social factors are brought into the stituation. And we are social creatures. Yet the internet allows us to become disconnected from the world.
By being kind all the time you really gain nothing and having to grit your teeth and tell a team who spawncamped you GG is just frustrating. But spouting back some words that could potentially hurt their egos. That makes the moment more satisfying. Knowing you crushed them under some kind if method then move on to the next game.
The thinking here is really sinple and almost primative. So if your case is “monkey see monkey do” than I’m afraid the case falls short as you took the time to insult the audience here, but gave yourself a pat on the back as well.
So good job. You add to the problem moreso than you think. Context matters. Mean what you say and don’t act it out as if its required because it is not. Its a momentary endgame gesture that eas never displayed throughout online gaming. Hell Halo players did it for fun and msot of them never understand the full meaning behind the phrase they just followed like lemmies.
Gg snowflake 
1 Like