Study Finds Misunderstandings Drive Video Game Trolls

Researchers examined how context shapes gamers' perception of trolling in the team‑based shooter Overwatch. In an experiment with 290 U.S. adults, participants watched short gameplay clips and judged whether a character’s dance on a fallen teammate was harassment. The likelihood of labeling the action as trolling increased when no points were awarded, when the dancer was an ally, and when participants were told the community was already toxic.

The study, published in Communication Research, shows that these contextual cues also heighten the desire to retaliate. Players who interpreted the ambiguous behavior as trolling were more inclined to harass the perceived offender in future matches, creating a chain reaction of hostility that can spread throughout the community.