Several reasons.

https://retriever.umbc.edu/2020/11/politics-and-video-games-are-more-linked-than-you-might-think/

https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/overwatch-2-profanity-controversy-grows-as-player-gets-banned-for-saying-gg-and-nice-shot

https://www.starterstory.com/ideas/video-game/profitability

Build a gaming group of people you play with who are not like that. Either on Discord or the group forums here you can create one.

Make a clear none authoritarian type of rule of no trash talk and be pleasant and keep drama and politics out of the chat / group forum talk and enjoy gaming.
-Do not give any personal information away.

-It won't happen over night but over weeks and months you will build a group of solid people if you get the right sorts.

People use discord to chat and interact with each other nowadays, not the in-game systems

The gaming community didn't gatekeep hard enough, and let in subversive elements, who then corrupted the community from the inside.

Oh, you mean voice chat?
Well, same thing. Companies don't want to get blamed for allowing users to say unkind things, so they locked voice chat down and threatened to punish people for the things that they say, so now everyone just uses Discord to chat.

Originally posted by Houseman:

The gaming community didn't gatekeep hard enough, and let in subversive elements, who then corrupted the community from the inside.

That too. I couldn't find a source reporting on it though. It either doesn't exist or the algorithm is hiding it.

Originally posted by MinionJoe:

Originally posted by Houseman:

The gaming community didn't gatekeep hard enough, and let in subversive elements, who then corrupted the community from the inside.

That too. I couldn't find a source reporting on it though. It either doesn't exist or the algorithm is hiding it.

It all started with "fake geek girls".

But you won't find a journalistic source about it, this is all oral history, passed down from gamer to gamer. The journalists are the subversive elements, so they're not going to write about themselves.

Originally posted by Houseman:

Originally posted by MinionJoe:

That too. I couldn't find a source reporting on it though. It either doesn't exist or the algorithm is hiding it.

It all started with "fake geek girls"

Ah, yes. Which is verboten to discuss without getting banned.

dry spell. but i still have star citizen - its alpha but fun and watch it develop

Originally posted by sable54:

Over the years as I've gotten older I've found it harder to connect with gaming communities in every way, and its just put a damper on gaming for me. I used to be able to team up with randoms for a couple games, add them to my friends list and continue to play and meet new people. Nowadays everyone just wants to either trash talk or its radio silent, you can't have different opinions or vent your frustration with something without being told to get gud.

Groups to me seem to be non-existent, or just don't open themselves much. We used to have clan wars and actually interact with each other in a fun and competitive manner with some banter, its kinda sad what everything has turned into. Even trying to find or explore new groups is akin to setting yourself on fire and running through a mall to punish yourself for even thinking of a bygone era.

Overall it'd be nice to see the community come back to what it once was, but with everyone wanting to be the next best esports/streamer idk man.

You just need to power through with the right game. AAA is overrun with kids that kust want their dopamine fix and don't care all too much about connection. It's all about finding those niche multiplayer games with small tight-knit communities.

Though I admit I found more people playing TTRPGs online than videogames recently.

the socialist media takover circa 2016 ensures dissent and conflict with modern day struggle sessions. It is not going exactly as they planned...

They became whiners who complain about everything...

they gaming community is what they do best , gaming. the movie industry is in a 10 year slump. tv... cop show. not much here also.

and now you know why people find a game and play. after this, maybe riots of bordom

Just finished reading the code of conduct on some linux distro's... and I think I am only going to use 1 now.... the rest just seems to want to crucify me every time my 2005-2018 me told a bad joke or was rude. ( I don't even tell bad jokes anymore or use a mic in games).

When I was a teenager, it was fun to insult people after beating them in a game... and it still is. It's also fun to get angry and lose at the game and act poorly about losing.

People get assaulted, robbed, beaten, and much more on the street everyday, so it's a really great thing that you get to act poorly here. I would not act like this if I was playing a real life sport or in a place where I am working, or on the street, but these are NOT sports and I don't work here, these are silly video games. This should be the place for the kids to be angry.

I don't want to be on a first name base with you. I don't care, your software is cheap. It's dumb that some of you get paid to play video games and unfair, moronic even.

The whole network was built by BETTER people.

It's always been like that and has nothing to do with gaming itself.

Hell is other people.

Originally posted by Majinken:

Hell is other people.

YES.