#calvinplayssplatoon

[calvinplayssplatoon]

Hyper-competitive Subculture - is it a problem?

While I know some will see this as me being salty or resentful for my own losing streaks, let me be clear about one thing: This is purely observation and opinion on how Splatoon appears to be evolving in the online gaming sphere.

I bought my Wii U in about October of 2015, and so I haven’t been playing particularly long. However, I had enough fun with the game that I was drawn right in and able to reach level 20 within a week of play (including time away for adulting/work). While it has taken significantly longer than that, I sit around level 37 and B- rank (nothing to write home about to be sure, but considerable progress all the same considering how often I play).

What started as daily play turned to every couple days, and more recently sometimes once a week, if that.

While my schedule is partly to blame, being quite busy in real life, there’s been an underlying issue that’s made the game much less fun than it used to be, and that’s what I’m writing about.

As mentioned in the title, I hold the opinion that a hyper-competitive subculture has formed around Splatoon; the formation of static squads and said squads talking about tactics and weapon suitability as though they’re the arbiters of all that is proper in the game (and while some may like to think so, they’re not).

Being competitive unto itself is not a bad thing. Quite the contrary, it’s part of what makes Splatoon as enjoyable as it is. When it gets into hyper-organized, hyper-competitive squads and the now all-too-frequent rationalization of what used to be considered moves of bad etiquette (spawn camping, dropping inkstrikes and killer wails on bases to keep players from moving), it drains the fun out of the game and drives away those that play on a competitive, albeit more leisurely level.

I’m not against forming static squads with friends (on the contrary, outside of Splatoon I’m a member of a static raid group in another game I play often), but for the love of the game, don’t let being in that squad lull you into thinking you hold a position of authority on how to play over others. That’s not what this game is about, and it’s certainly not a way to get people excited or to keep them so.

Let’s not lose sight of what drew us into the game, and by god let’s not drive others away with what it becomes.

[calvinplayssplatoon]

Sadly no images, but it was a great time hanging out with @gabplayssplatoon @passionisplayssplatoon @skyplayssplatoon @zephyrfuse and the crew (gomen, I know I forgot people).

Also gomen for getting in Passionis’ way and being a splat victim. Nero is not a clever squid.

[calvinplayssplatoon]

Meet me in the pit for a tentakicking

Password is 7742

[calvinplayssplatoon]

Marie pls

[calvinplayssplatoon]

If you feel the need to spawncamp for “strategy”

You’re probably an asshole.

[nero-ink]

[I found a certain memer in my plaza. Welcome to Splatoon, @bluesquidz!]

[calvinplayssplatoon]

Me: *reaches B- 90*

Game: Here, have a string of losses

Me: *INCOHERENT SCREAMING*

[calvinplayssplatoon]

Currently on Team Naughty under the name Satan. Come find me, or don’t.