Gaming Community Manager | Passionate Technologist | Motivator | Bespoke Digital Delivery Excellence
I've created, managed and lead teams and communities in gaming from casual to professional since my teenage years. One of the most important lessons I've learnt is understanding the player base of the game the community is built around, which can be done at any opportunity you meet another player. Learning who the players are is key as to ensure the space you are creating is inclusive and serving of the games range of personalities that it would interest. Blizzard for example has done an amazing job at building LGBTQ+ player bases ontop of the hard-core raiders and key pushers playing since Wrath and before. My WoW guild thrives on this inclusivity, attracting new players who quickly identify our core values and start returning daily to chat or engage in our community. We have non-binary leaders and members, female raid and M+ group leaders and many core members from the LGBTQ+ community. Toxic or exclusive mentality will always emerge in gaming where competitive collaboration is required to progress but there are always a source and ways to circumvent this defensive posture through communication and understanding. Cutting through with kindness and challenging perspectives has helped me learn that it's just a scale with players at polarising ends. The "toxic" players just want those dopamine driven wins first, whilst "fragile" players are looking for social engagement, escapism or just a place to be themselves. Be the force that helps players see encouragement and comradery can help bring these very different players of different backgrounds, skill levels or personalities together and build teams to take down the hardest of challanges, or build lasting meaningful relationships outside of gaming.