Deep Dive: Altruism in online multiplayer video games with Kind Words and Sky: Children of the Light
Game Developer Deep Dives are an ongoing series with the goal of shedding light on specific design, art, or technical features within a video game in order to show how seemingly simple, fundamental design decisions aren’t really that simple at all.
Earlier installments cover topics such as how art director Olivier Latouche reimagined the art direction of Foundation, how the creator of the RPG Roadwarden designed its narrative for impact and variance, and how the papercraft-based aesthetic of Paper Cut Mansion came together with the developer calls the Reverse UV method.
In this edition, Xu He, senior game designer Ustwo Games, discusses the effect of altruism in games and how designing for empathy reshapes online communities, citing Popcannibal's 2019 anonymous letter writing game Kind Words and Thatgamecompany's 2019 open-world social title Sky: Children of the Light.
Online multiplayer games are notorious for the long-standing toxic culture on one side. But, on the other side, we also hear people talking about having positive social interactions in those games, like making friends and helping other players. So, how can we create a more positive and less toxic social experience for players in online multiplayer games?
Safety controls, like the restriction of public chat, words filter, and report systems, will reduce toxic behaviors, but that is not enough to build a warm and connected community in the game. It’s just like how laws and police will not make your neighborhood more friendly. A warm community needs players to care about and support each other genuinely. It requires altruism.
When I play online multiplayer games, I barely have any social interactions with other players, because of the risk of being harassed and
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