Smack-Talking Pwnage n00b: A Look At Xbox Live Communicator Gaming

Written by Kevin Alexander

Monday, 19 June 2006 09:30

For some it might be the best thing about Xbox Live, to others it might be the entire reason they cancel their subscription or never play. I'm talking, of course, about the communicator headset that comes with Xbox Live. This simple headset allows all of us to converse while playing a game whether it be a warning about an approaching enemy or to coordinate attacks on the opposing team. However, more often than not it's used to sling insults and mindless banter across the game virtually ruining the experience for everyone who has any sense of how to act in public.

What is the thinking behind this? Are people really that impressed with themselves when they kill someone in Halo 2 or score a touchdown in Madden? Last night I was playing Halo 2 with a couple of friends, I'm a level 11 they're both level 23 so we kept getting matched with people almost all level 20 or higher. I found it completely unnecessary to hear hooting and hollering every time I died. Hey buddy, congratulations, you just killed the weakest player in the game, good job!

Somehow I've learned to block this stuff out. In all honesty it actually makes me feel kind of good that I don't act that way. Unfortunately many of my friends don't have the tolerance level that I can muster for the situation. In most situations when they decide to play online they simply leave their headsets unplugged until some jackass decides to leave theirs in and breathe heavily into it at which point they have to plug theirs in and tell the heavy breather to shut the fuck up.

My theory is that the same anonymity found on the internet gives these people the freedom they've been looking for to act like a jerk without any repercussions of actually facing the person that they're insulting. Get these people in the same room and they'd probably act almost totally different...almost.

Please feel free to share your stories and gripes in the comments section.

Comments (3) Add Comment

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written by SolidSnake82, June 21, 2006

In theory the Xbox Live Communicator is one of the coolest additions to console gaming in recent memory. However, it is precisly because of people who use the word noob and refuse to adhere to everyday social ettiquette that I absolutly hate plugging in my headset. I love good competition when I play a game on Live like Halo 2, but what I won't tolerate is listening to some twelve year old curse me out because he killed me. The day I have to start actually seeing people I'm playing against will be a sad day indeed.

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written by Wuggl3z, June 22, 2006

i suppose i should confess to doning this sometimes, but i find it a good means of psychological warfare plus its funny sometimes to

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written by danzuke (NetPhantom), June 23, 2006

I think from now on I'll plug in my headphones, then mute them and sit the on the floor. That way no one hears me (which I don't like) and I dont have to hear anyone else through my TV speakers.