edit: Through discussion I now understand and have my question answered. Thank you to all who talked to me.
Just to clarify: this post is just curiosity. No hatred towards our lesbian, gay, bi, and other members of our OW community! Everyone and anyone can be a hero.
But now to the question: why are there so many “LGBT only 18+” custom games? At least on PS4, you can probably see 2-3 of them just at the top of the list of game lobbies.
It’s interesting how these folks use Overwatch as a way to communicate with other members of their community. But why so many?
But to me, it’s very interesting (compared to other games I have played) that there are much more in a game like Overwatch. Maybe it’s because of the message of the game and the audience it appeals to, versus games like COD and such.
Of course it does. Really any game does. But not many games have the same LGBT prominence. Aside from yes, our Naked Mercy and Naked Dva “glitches”, these LGBT lobbies are all over the place. Very few other games, at least in my experience, have this same attribute.
COD is likely more toxic towards open LGBTQ+ individuals than your average xXxxHammOndmaiNXxx in Overwatch. I mean, OW has its fair share, but it’s easier to connect here… and avoid I imagine.
But I guess my thought process was that, considering the fact that LGBTQ+ folks only make up around 4% of the population, it’s surprising to see so many. Especially in a FPS shooter game, where in the past has been inhabited by toxic masculinity, homophobia, and transphobia.
Well, you also have to remember Overwatch itself is very LGBT+ friendly, even officially having characters in the cast who are LGBT+, so maybe that’s why.
I think it’s because Overwatch is generally an accessible and friendly game, which allows for communities like LGBT+ to come in easily. Custom Game Lobbies are the optimal place because you aren’t busy fighting players.
Gotta do anything to get those players in, I guess.
I think because Overwatch does more than most games to try to actively stop anti-LGBT abuse so it’s considered much more of a safe haven.
I don’t think Overwatch is that great but… consider the alternatives. Try making a lobby like that in Call of Duty and it’s going to draw a certain type of person who has a paranoid fear and hatred of anything remotely LGBT and will make it their crusade to get rid of them. And the mods probably won’t do anything.
I’d say for a first person shooter, OW is probably the best for mods who actually try to put a stop to LGBT harassment. Again, it’s not amazing but the bar is SO LOW that Overwatch is the best option on the market.
IDK about other genres of video games like true mobas or online card games but OW has really tried to lock down on the so called “trash talk”.
I think thats mostly because Overwatch has attracted a wider variety of players in the first place, and just has more LGBT people, thus they can find themselves easier.
As far as trash talk itself goes, the slightest difference from the typical online male gets you ostracized or laughed at in Overwatch, so I can’t say its any better than anywhere else.