Negotiating Toxicity: Community, Identity, and Cultural Dynamics in Overwatch 2
Author
Suciu, Emanuel-Ioan
Term
4. term
Publication year
2025
Abstract
This thesis examines how toxic behaviors and identity-based stereotypes are learned, reinforced, and negotiated within the Overwatch 2 player community. Addressing a gap in largely quantitative research that treats gaming culture as static, it adopts an interpretivist, social constructivist approach. Drawing on Wenger’s Communities of Practice and Holliday et al.’s intercultural communication framework, the study analyzes everyday community discourse across three qualitative sources: public Reddit threads, Discord conversations, and a semi-structured interview with an active community member. These platforms are approached as digital third spaces where norms are formed beyond the constraints of in-game mechanics. Thematic analysis identified four core themes: the normalization of toxic behavior, the targeting of specific identities, the role of group dynamics in sustaining hostile norms, and the presence of coping strategies and silent resistance. Findings indicate that toxicity is often treated as part of the expected gaming experience, yet players also develop adaptive strategies, mute communication channels, and openly challenge harmful discourse. The thesis argues that toxicity should be understood as a dynamic cultural negotiation unfolding across platforms, interactions, and informal community structures.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan toksiske adfærdsmønstre og identitetsbaserede stereotyper læres, forstærkes og forhandles i Overwatch 2-fællesskabet. Den adresserer et hul i eksisterende forskning, som ofte er kvantitativ og behandler gamingkultur som statisk, ved at anlægge en fortolkende, socialkonstruktivistisk tilgang. Med udgangspunkt i Wengers teori om praksisfællesskaber og Holliday m.fl.s interkulturelle kommunikationsramme analyserer studiet fællesskabets hverdagsdiskurser på tværs af tre kvalitative datakilder: offentlige Reddit-tråde, Discord-samtaler og et semistruktureret interview med et aktivt fællesskabsmedlem. Disse platforme behandles som digitale third spaces, hvor normer formes uden for spillets direkte rammer. En tematisk analyse identificerede fire centrale temaer: normalisering af toksisk adfærd, målretning af bestemte identiteter, gruppedynamikkers rolle i at fastholde fjendtlige normer samt tilpasningsstrategier og stille modstand. Resultaterne viser, at toksicitet ofte opfattes som en forventet del af spiloplevelsen, men at spillere også udvikler modstrategier, demper kommunikationskanaler eller udfordrer skadelig diskurs. Afhandlingen argumenterer for at forstå toksicitet som en dynamisk, kulturel forhandlingsproces, der udspiller sig på tværs af platforme, interaktioner og uformelle fællesskabsstrukturer.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]