Winning:
A game shouldn't be only fun when you're winning,
can't only be fun when you're winning.
As an industry and as a community,
we seem to have forgotten this.
We've forgotten the importance of finding the joy:
in losing.
MUSIC: Extra Credits Theme
Real quick up top: please give a warm, easy welcome to Kelsey,
who's doing guest art for this episode.
Thanks Kelsey!
In games today; we put a HUGE emphasis on winning.
We've moved it, from being the goal of most games,
to the raison d'etre of most games.
Especially in multiplayer environments.
In many multiplayer games:
we've let winning become more important than having fun.
We've let it eclipse
the joy of the game.
Time and time again;
we've all run into players that aren't having fun
unless they're winning.
And when they're losing; they're actively having a bad time.
Losing makes them angry, irritable,
or sometimes even mean.
It puts people in a bad mood:
the very opposite of the thing we usually sit down to play games for.
But as hokey as the saying
"Winning isn't everything" is...
..it's kind of true here.
Like, what's really at stake in these games?
For most of us; exactly nothing.
Nothing materially changes in your life,
if you crush a particular round
or if you get steamrolled.
Heck, in most games:
you can usually just pick back up
and try again, at no cost whatsoever.
Even if you're playing on ladder:
those few points up or down
don't really mean anything.
And they certainly shouldn't ruin your day.
And losing isn't actually a bad thing:
it's often how we improve.
It's easier to learn what you did wrong
and what you could do better from a losing game
than from a winning one.
And it's much easier to gloss over those mistakes
and just assume you did everything right,
because you won...
And you know what?
That's where the real joy is:
in getting better.
At least: that's where it should be.
Those of you who have played any of the From Software games
know the joy that can be found in losing.
If, when you lose;
you saw one small thing you could do better,
or if you came up with a new strategy to try next time.
THAT should be the feeling that we take to every game,
that has winning and losing.
If you're playing DOTA or Counter-Strike,
League or Overwatch,
FIFA or Madden.
That's the feeling that losing should bring.
Sure; it's a little disappointing that you lost,
but then you get to think about the ways you could have done better.
And get super excited about jumping into that next game,
because you want to try your ideas out.
You immediately get the chance to test your new hypothesis;
and see where you were right,
and where you were wrong;
that is exciting!
Because winning is just a yardstick...
..just a measuring tool to tell you if you've improved your play.
It's how you test all thoughts you have
about how you might get better
and know if you were right.
But: that's all it is.
It has no inherent value, in and of itself.
Now, I know there's going to be a contingent of people out there
who will say they get frustrated when they lose,
even when they're playing well:
when they lose because someone on the team wasn't good.
And, yes:
I absolutely agree that when someone is actively trolling,
that's frustrating and disappointing.
Though, more disappointing in humanity than the game,
but I digress.
When other players are just uncoordinated,
or maybe not that great at whatever you're playing,
that's an opportunity to improve as well:
as a leader and a mentor.
I've seen teams filled with people who are mechanically unskilled at a game
trounce teams of highly skilled players,
because they had one person who helped the team coordinate,
and rallied them when they were down.
And that's something you can get better at as well.
You can get better at being that person.
Your team never groups up:
What can you say?
Or how can you signal more effectively, so that people actually do?
Your team ignores the objective to just get into brawls:
How can you bring them together to focus on the goal of the game?
Or maybe it's just people getting into a defeatist attitude,
when things go a little bit against them:
How do you rally them to give it one more go?
These are as much skills in a team game,
as fast mouse-work or clever builds.
And getting better at them is an amazing feeling.
The most rewarding games I've ever had
weren't the ones where I did the coolest shot
or stole the objective.
They were the ones, where it was clear that the team was about to give up,
and, something I said
got them to group up, and give it one more go.
And in all seriousness:
It didn't really matter if we still lost.
It felt like we gave it our all,
and that feels amazing.
We can't invest our self-worth in just winning,
just achieving victory in some arbitrary game.
Not only is that not healthy at all,
but it also bucks against a fundamental truth:
In most multiplayer games,
at least half of the people are losing:
all...the time!
No form of entertainment should be miserable for half of its audience,
or make half of its audience feel bad about themselves.
So we have to find the joy;
not in winning, but in improving,
or just in playing the game itself.
Because if you're not playing for the gameplay:
the hook you're playing for is as much of an illusion
as any free-to-play treadmill or MMO grind.
And we can't fall for that.
Because games shouldn't be about rage or disappointment.
Games should never cause you to toss the controller
or to shout at another person.
They're meant to engage us, and much of the time: to be fun.
A winning is everything mentality just breeds toxicity.
So we need to find the joy in losing:
in being beaten in a really good game,
in seeing other people's incredible displays of skill,
or in learning about the game itself.
We need to find the joy in simply playing:
win, or lose.
Because when you're not having fun:
it's time to stop.
GG, everyone!
GG...
MUSIC: Extra Credits Outro