Multiplay Phobia: The Latest Phobia Gamers Are Suffering From
April 1, 2019Some players are suffering from this subconsciously. Are you one of them?
Multiplay Phobia: The Origin
“Multiplay Phobia” is a term made by a Japanese gamer with a twitter username @shimesaba67. He introduced the word in one of his tweets which states his occurring problem with the interpersonal aspect of online multiplayer games:
“Recently, I’ve been suffering from ‘Multiplay Phobia’. It’s a term I made up myself to describe the negative emotions that come when I find myself worrying that my poor play might be a nuisance to the other people on my team, and I become scared of playing the game anymore. I wonder if anyone else feels this way…”
English translated tweet of @shimesaba67
This situation is far from the usual scenarios in multiplayer games wherein other members of the team are being a jerk about how awful of a player is. As stated in his tweet, he felt this way on his own. Somehow, it seems like he felt an inner voice telling him he is not good enough and that he might drag the entire team down. Feeling bad and careful not to spoil the fun of other players who are more skillful than he is, he ends up deciding not to participate in the game at all.
He’s not alone
The tweet actually went viral. It turns out, he’s not the only one feeling this way. In fact, other players in Japan agreed of feeling the same way with:
“That’s totally me too.”
“I absolutely get what you’re saying.”
“I’ve given up playing games where you join a guild or have to work with others.”
“I’m OK if I’m playing with people I personally know, but if they’re strangers, I feel Multiplay Phobia pretty strongly.”
Other gamers’ responses on @shimesaba67’s tweet
Although there are these other gamers who felt the same way as @simesaba67, there are also still some out there who are the literal representation of the online gaming community’s stigma. These are the ones who are unwelcoming and intolerant of newbies and points fingers when their team is losing. Hence, to show their support for @shimesaba67 and others who worry about being a burden and are experiencing “multiplay phobia”, other commenters spoke out against the short-tempered ones in general:
“There are too many online gamers who forget the simple fact that in the beginning, everyone is a beginner, and that everyone makes mistakes.”
A commenter against short-tempered gamers
Overcoming it
Like any other phobias, multiplay phobia is caused by something. This may be from an unforgettable first ‘lose’ or a lost game in which the stakes are high. There are other factors that may have contributed to build up this unusual anxiety about multiplays but one thing is for sure: they need support. People suffering from this ‘phobia’ are those who take failure negatively. Hence, talking down and being a jerk about it only makes them feel more anxious.
If you ever know someone who you think might be suffering from this phobia, try to uplift their spirit. Be a good sport and be patient with them. On the other hand, if you think you’re the one suffering from this, challenge yourself. Try not to be too hard on yourself. Remember, everyone experienced being a newbie and that practice can help you become better. Which means playing more and learning to ignore hateful comments online. Avoiding your fear won’t do you any good and will only hold you back in becoming a better version of yourself.
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