Support NeoGAF

[Draugoth]

• Kids who don't buy in-game items can face bullying from peers in free-to-play games like Fortnite.
• Research shows pressure on children to fit in by purchasing virtual items, raising ethical concerns about microtransactions.
• A study highlights manipulation tactics that games use to encourage more spending.

A study by a team of Norwegian social scientists has found that kids can face bullying by others if they don't buy items in games. The research by Julia Clara Reich and Kamilla Knutsen Steinnes was published last year and recently highlighted in a post from Sciencenorway.no. This study involved Reich and Steinnes conducting interviews while playing games with 19 children from the ages of 10 to 15 in Norway to examine their experiences. One notable finding was that subjects felt pressure to fit in with peers by buying in-game items in titles like FIFA.

In a related study, the same researchers, along with Helene Fiane Teigen, found that games like Fortnite and Roblox employ numerous tactics to manipulate players and encourage them to spend more on in-game purchases. Advertising designed to encourage customers to buy more and children facing peer pressure to fit in are certainly nothing new, but now these struggles may be migrating to the digital realm. Indeed, back in 2022, Sony reported that PS5 owners spend more on microtransactions than on games, and there are no hints of this trend diminishing since then.

Source

 

[Guilty_AI]

So that's how Men_in_Boxes came to be

 

[saintjules]

Very weird. Better off giving your lunch money to a Bully rather than on microtransactions.

 

[AJUMP23]

A reason why you disable chat features for online games your kids play.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

LOL.

I'm so glad I grew up in the 90s. For real, like who gives a shit. Kids, of course. Back then the only thing you got peer-pressured on was not having the newest game system or your parents hadn't bought you the newest game release yet, so you had to rely on borrowing a copy from a friend, or just go over to their house to watch them play it instead.

Much simpler/ better time.

 

[Killjoy-NL]

That's why you teach your kids how to punch bullies.

 

[Herbspiceguy]

It's just an extension of the teenage peer pressure of (premium) brand clothing, foods, devices and whatnot expanding onto a popular teenage hobby. I don't feel it's more unethical than what those clothing/food/device companies do with their marketing.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

A reason why you disable chat features for online games your kids play.

Bruh, what are you on about? This is probably about kids showing one another all the skins they bought during school break, kids that do not have the newest flavour of the month skin get bullied.

 

[Alexios]

Kids who don't spend in general get bullied. If they have a crappy phone, don't have brand name clothes, etc.

Parents suck and don't teach bullies right. Why even have brand names for kids which outgrow their clothes every x months. Labels should be banned so even if they paid $1000 they can't show off vs good will customers.

 

[Sentenza]

Kids who don't spend in general get bullied. If they have a crappy phone, don't have brand name clothes, etc.

Parents suck and don't teach bullies right. Why even have brand names for kids which outgrow their clothes every x months. Labels should be banned so even if they paid $1000 they can't show off vs good will customers.

When I was younger I remember struggling to make sense of things that were so blatantly overpriced (like a good fashion brand charging sometimes even hundred of dollars for a lame logged t-shirt or THOUSANDS for a purse or a pair of shoes made with not-particularly-expensive materials).

Then at some point over the years I finally got it: the outlandish price is THE ENTIRE POINT for these people. It's not about getting something that is actually worth that amount of money. It's not about getting quality stuff. It's all about deliberately creating a rift between them and the poor "uncool" kids.

"I pay for this just because I can do it and you can't".

 

[Cert.in.Death]

BREAKING NEWS: Wealthy people are shitty to poor people

Back to you Tom

 

[darrylgorn]

As a parent, I've been successful in navigating my kids away from shit like Roblox and into Valheim instead.

 

[Chuck Berry]

Kids pick on other kids over dumb kid shit

Film at 11

 

[SportsFan581]

Just wait until these "bullies" see what these smart kids can spend this money on in the real world.

 

[SlimySnake]

If your kid cant handle this basic form of bullying you have failed. real life is much harder than microtransactions.

 

[Moses85]

 

[JohnnyFootball]

I bet this "study" was funded by gaming publishers.

 

[StueyDuck]

• Kids who don't buy in-game items can face bullying from peers in free-to-play games like Fortnite.
• Research shows pressure on children to fit in by purchasing virtual items, raising ethical concerns about microtransactions.
• A study highlights manipulation tactics that games use to encourage more spending.

Source

Kids get bullied for not buying a branded cup or an influencers heart attack inducing energy drink.

Turns out it's mostly social media and navigating the internet in general fucking kids, fortnite is just a part of that.

Wouldn't be surprised if their was a ccp... I mean tiktok video trend about bullying a kid for not having the shloopy poop emote and the latest yungMunnee$exrape rapper skin.

It's all by design and Kids aren't to blame for being brainwashed. Adults should have done better for them

 

[ANDS]

Silly study that believes it has found a unique interaction when all they've found is a continued pattern of interpersonal engagement among "the youth." Value judgements based on perceived wealth at the level of teens is nothing new. "In my day" it was about what you wore, now it's about what you're spending digital monies on. . .presumably.

I bet this "study" was funded by gaming publishers.

It wasn't and it tells you whom is was funded by within 3-seconds of clicking on the link provided. Also not sure why study is in quotes.

 

[cormack12]

Imagine having a fucking basic bitch kid running round with default skins. I'd have to take them the park and leave them there.

Parents, if you have kids your obligation is to provide for them.

 

[Hemingwayoffbase]

This scientific study brought to you by Fortnite*

Also kids who don’t eat cereal are dumber, says Frosted Flakes.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

is the opposite where i live

 

[Portugeezer]

Doesn't surprise me one bit.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

Part of the reason I've got strict parental controls on my kids' stuff so they cannot play online at all, unless they are playing with me or their mom.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Kids who don't spend in general get bullied. If they have a crappy phone, don't have brand name clothes, etc.

Parents suck and don't teach bullies right. Why even have brand names for kids which outgrow their clothes every x months. Labels should be banned so even if they paid $1000 they can't show off vs good will customers.

This. I cannot comprehend why parents wouldn’t want to teach their kids to reduce consumption and do not fall for blatant tactics designed to make you spend money.

 

[ReBurn]

That's because kids are assholes. Always have been.

 

[Panajev2001a]

• Kids who don't buy in-game items can face bullying from peers in free-to-play games like Fortnite.
• Research shows pressure on children to fit in by purchasing virtual items, raising ethical concerns about microtransactions.
• A study highlights manipulation tactics that games use to encourage more spending.

Game publishers know, they expect this.

Sycophants or naively invested people usually buy too much in the “only cosmetic, you do not HAVE to buy anything!!! Just whales do, nobody else…” PR BS.

 

[Arsic]

“Yo! You ain’t got any skins? Bro you must be poor and retarded. Fucking basic bitch loser cunt!”

Sorry mate. I spent all my money on your mom sucking my dick.

Bullies don’t want you to know this one simple trick….

 

[Lucifers Beard]

Kids who don't spend in general get bullied. If they have a crappy phone, don't have brand name clothes, etc.

Parents suck and don't teach bullies right. Why even have brand names for kids which outgrow their clothes every x months. Labels should be banned so even if they paid $1000 they can't show off vs good will customers.

Came here to post the first line you wrote as this is all it boils down to.

Bullies will always be cunts and if it wasn't lack of spending in free to play games it would be something else. I'm surprised that they aren't bullied for actually spending money in those shit games.

 

[Fbh]

Growing up I remember we used to tease the one kid in our class who didn't have a flashed Ps1 because he couldn't get as many games as everyone else and he had to "overpay"

So seeing kids bullying each other for not having $20 skins is sort of funny

 

[BlueLyria]

Back then it was console wars, it's just a natural evolution of playground bullying

 

[cormack12]

“Yo! You ain’t got any skins? Bro you must be poor and retarded. Fucking basic bitch loser cunt!”

Sorry mate. I spent all my money on your mom sucking my dick.

Bullies don’t want you to know this one simple trick….

 

[Three]

Kids who don't spend in general get bullied. If they have a crappy phone, don't have brand name clothes, etc.

Parents suck and don't teach bullies right. Why even have brand names for kids which outgrow their clothes every x months. Labels should be banned so even if they paid $1000 they can't show off vs good will customers.

That's why school uniforms exist but the little brats still rebel and buy other shit to show off with.

 

[sigmaZ]

• Kids who don't buy in-game items can face bullying from peers in free-to-play games like Fortnite.
• Research shows pressure on children to fit in by purchasing virtual items, raising ethical concerns about microtransactions.
• A study highlights manipulation tactics that games use to encourage more spending.

Source

Ban them all. Ban all of it. Gatcha too. 18 or older or gtfo.

 

[DeaDPo0L84]

Should be the other way around.

 

[Alebrije]

Every time a Helldiver joins My team and is wearing basic outfits I send Him napalm stratagems and then kick out from My Game.
Democracy needs special outfits.

 

[Northeastmonk]

if you suck you must look good doing it

 

[Mibu no ookami]

A reason why you disable chat features for online games your kids play.

Not limited to chat, especially if games have PVP.

I don't normally play online games, but I fell into a mobile game before I realized it was P2W. I saw exactly how warped people are and how their behavior was twisted by their perceived in-game strength based on how much they spent on the game.

I refused to spend any money on this model and eventually quit playing the game.

Harder for kids to do if that's all their friends are doing though.

 

[Kacho]

Kids get picked on when they have a $10 water bottle and not the fashionable Stanley cup.

Back in my day, kids would get joned on if they wore an off-brand Starter jacket.

This will always be a thing.

 

[Arachnid]

It balances out. I bully those who do buy that trash.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

It's just an extension of the teenage peer pressure of (premium) brand clothing, foods, devices and whatnot expanding onto a popular teenage hobby. I don't feel it's more unethical than what those clothing/food/device companies do with their marketing.

unless American society has altered significantly, growing up in a middle-class area and all of my friends being similar socio-economic background, I do not recall anyone giving a fuck about clothing brands or food, whatsoever.

 

[March Climber]

unless American society has altered significantly, growing up in a middle-class area and all of my friends being similar socio-economic background, I do not recall anyone giving a fuck about clothing brands or food, whatsoever.

No this has always been the same, and it always depended on the school. You were just fortunate enough to not encounter it.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

Back then the only thing you got peer-pressured on was not having the newest game system or your parents hadn't bought you the newest game release yet,

Back in my day it was 'Shell suits', you had to have a Shell suit. Even back then though I thought they looked fucking horrible..

If you had a computer you was a 'Nerd'. I had a C64 so I was an uber Nerd.

The computer craze hadn't caught on. I'm quite sad it did because look at it now. It's full of this shit.

 

[Shifty1897]

When I was a kid you got bullied about your clothes and playing video games made you a nerd (and a school shooter.)
Now you get bullied about your video game clothes and video games are culturally acceptable by children now.

What is life lol.

 

[rofif]

Of course they do. That’s no different than when we were kids.
Lol you poor or what playing with stock skin ?!

 

[killatopak]

This is why you make them play retro games and work towards modern stuff.

Their entire identities are now based on who spent more and looks better. It's just WoW childhood only this time it's not just nerds that are affected.

 

[TheInfamousKira]

It's okay, I bully kids who do buy mtx.

Perfect balance.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Not sure this happens like they say so I won’t come on that but it reminds me of one time 2 buddies and I were golfing and another duder joined us. No big deal. He seemed nice enough. He had incredible gear and looked like he walked off the tour. Bit intimidating for sure, but holy smokes was he awful. I’m not good, at all, but after 9 holes I was at least 10 strokes ahead. It was so bad we stopped keeping score as it felt wrong.

 

[Audiophile]

The only acceptable bullying is for wearing Hi-Tec trainers.

I wore them to school once and I took my punishment like a champ.

 

[scoobidoo112]

Probably a good indicator of who will end up broke and who won't.