In the world of online gaming, we are often told it’s just a game. That what happens within those digital borders—those clashes of swords, whispered alliances, and victories won or lost—should be left in the world where they were created: behind a screen. But anyone who has played long enough knows that it’s never really just a game.
When you're part of an online community, you laugh with people you've never met. You strategize, you trust, you share parts of yourself over voice chats, Discord pings, and late-night grind sessions. Bonds form. Sometimes they’re fleeting, sometimes they last years. And yet… sometimes, the fragility of these bonds becomes heartbreakingly obvious.
I’ve always believed that kindness matters—even in competitive spaces. Especially in competitive spaces. Being understanding doesn’t make someone weak. Giving people grace doesn’t mean being naïve. But when kindness is taken for granted, when it becomes a tool for manipulation or a trigger for control, something starts to crack.
Recently, I’ve seen how fast people can turn when their expectations of loyalty begin to blur into demands. Suddenly, it’s not enough to play fair or be decent—you’re asked to choose sides. To judge others for decisions that weren’t yours to make. And worst of all, to deny friendships simply because someone else doesn’t see them the same way you do.
Let’s call that what it is: unfair.
Friendship, in its truest form, allows for individuality. It allows room for disagreement, and it grows not in echo chambers—but in the understanding that we are not carbon copies of one another. That we can be loyal without being controlled. That we can love our communities, but still call out toxic behavior when we see it.
No one should feel pressured to prove their worth by abandoning others.
No one should be discarded like a forgotten shipwreck because they didn’t follow the script someone else wrote for them.
And if we’re being honest—these games we pour ourselves into... They're meant to bring joy. Not division. Not drama. And definitely not emotional harm.
I’ve read studies on how immersive gaming can alter our perceptions and even our neuro pathways. It’s true. When the game becomes more real than real life, it can be easy to forget that empathy, kindness, and boundaries still matter. But they do. And how we treat one another in these digital worlds says more about us than any leaderboard ever could.
So today, this is my line in the sand.
I choose to be kind, but not to be used.
I choose to value friendships based on truth, not whispers.
And I choose to remember that while games may be pixels and code—people are not.
"Legacy isn't just survival—it's choosing to rise with grace, even when the world demands rage." ` Ambrose Fider
Maybe it’s time we all remembered that.
Until next time Lovelies!
Always, Ambrose Fider