There is little hype or energy in these Halo Infinite matches I’m playing. For all I know, they could be bots. And that’s exactly how it feels to me. I want the energy of trash talk that puts stakes on the match. Now you NEED to win because they are talking trash before they turn that corner to face you. It adds a real social aspect that makes me feel like there’s a community. THE best part of playing COD MW, cold war, or warzone is when you kill someone, you can hear them yell or complain about you killing them and not only does that feel great, but it makes me feel like I’m playing with human beings. Or in search, when in between rounds, you can talk smack to each other. I mean youtubers like BAMS, literally makes a career because people love watching that kind of intense trash talking that leads to intense gaming. I remember playing PUBG and downing a guy and I said “if you tell me where your buddy is, I’ll spare your life”. And me and that guy had a little funny interaction and it made me realize why I love playing video games, its the people. Sure, you can argue toxicity or whatever else but I personally believe the only toxicity you can have is towards your teammates, otherwise it can be just fun banter and trash talk, no matter how aggressive. If someone on the enemy team talks smack, you can punish them for it in game, unlike your teammates, which I agree is “toxic”. And if you really have that issue with it, then just press that little mute button. But for me, I love it. And I always will, and quite honestly whenever game companies remove voice chat or all chat, it really takes the soul out of video games for me, and pushes me further and further into just quitting multiplayer all together.
Another little example is actually from MCC. I was with a 4 stack in the Halo Reach ranked playlist back when it first came out. And I guess the way the matchmaking worked was if you queued at the same time, we got the same team (I suppose). So, we face this one team and barely lose to them, and they start talking smack in the ending lobby. So of course we move on and get a little butthurt we can’t have a rematch, but then we find we are facing the exact same team. We put our game faces on and beat them in some of the most intense gaming I’ve ever had. Now both teams are talking smack to each other in the end game lobby. Telling each other to keep queuing up because they wanted another rematch. We played against them 7 times. Neither team wanted to stop. Every game added another layer of intensity, it was back and forth wins between the two teams. It kept building and building. The pressure, the tension, the intensity, all culminating, simply because we knew the stakes. If we lose, they can talk smack at the end while on top of the mountain. And we COULD not have that. My friends aren’t competitive people by nature, but that was the most competitive I had ever seen them. Our comms were constant callouts, when usually they were relatively silent. And it was one of the most fun moments I’ve ever had in gaming. Those games were so intense because we didn’t just have that little arbitrary rank to worry about, we had everything we’ve said on the line, we had to prove ourselves after talking trash. Both teams yelling at each other and laughing, calling each other who knows what, we still kept queuing. Me and my friends still talk about that moment because not many other moments in gaming really match up.
And its really a shame if we can’t at least bring back lobbies, or even better proximity chat or all chat so you can talk directly to them IN GAME. Its such a shame that so many games are getting rid of this. I truly do believe talking smack and having some banter is the SOUL of gaming. I think the real toxicity everyone talks about it when your own teammates turn on you and flame you for no reason other than that you’re trying your best. But who cares if the enemy says you suck? They’re the enemy! Who cares what they think when you’re the one 4 tapping them with a BR. And again, like I said, if it truly bothers you, turn it off, nobodies forcing you. But I at least want All chat to be default on. Otherwise people just don’t know it exists like in MCC.
But in H:I flight, even when the score was 49-48, it felt dead. There were no stakes. Like I said, I could’ve been facing bots for all I care. And even if it was ranked, I still wouldn’t care. The people are what make every match a little more unique and intense. And imagine talking smack when sitting at 49-48, everyone would be shaking in their boots trying their best not to die. Trying to prove themselves so they can talk smack right back.
At the very LEAST, add a text all chat so there’s at least SOME banter.
At the end of the day, I think prox chat or all chat or lobby chat can create those intense matches you can’t get ANYWHERE else. With the competiveness of Halo and the drive to win, it can create an environment where everyone NEEDS to win, for their own honor and confidence, rather than just their imaginary rank.
