An enthusiastic gamer and insightful media critic discusses the negative impact of meritocracy on video game culture—and what can be done to address it. Video games have provided entertainment, education, and innovation to millions, but gaming also has its darker sides. From the deeply rooted misogyny exemplified by GamerGate to the widespread hostility of abusive player communities, gamer culture has had serious real-world consequences, including death threats, sexist industry practices, and racist condemnations.

In The Toxic Meritocracy of Video Games, new media critic and seasoned gamer Christopher A. Paul explains how the focus on meritocracy in video games reinforces this negative culture. Paul first demonstrates why meritocracy is fundamental to video game design, storytelling, and values. Games often celebrate skill and technique, and common practices (such as leveling) embed meritocratic thinking into their core principles. Video games are often viewed as having a level playing field, but they allow skill transfer across different games, giving certain players an inherent advantage.

The Toxic Meritocracy of Video Games highlights deeply rooted challenges within the gaming culture—but there is hope. As Paul argues, similar meritocratic institutions such as professional sports and higher education have found effective ways to improve their toxic cultures, including active recruitment and strategies that encourage values like chance, luck, and serendipity. He suggests these approaches can be adapted to the gaming world, ultimately creating a more diverse, inclusive, and self-aware culture that benefits not only gamers but also the development of video games themselves.

Pages: 280, Dimensions: 14x14cm