Racism and homophobia in online play is affecting sales, says ex-Microsoft man

Former Microsoft game user research head Bill Fulton - who previously worked on games like Shadrowrun for the company - reckons the general behaviour of many gamers online is "drastically reducing our sales".

"Of all the ways I spend my free time, playing games online is the only one I would describe as 'frequently barbaric'," he said. "Insults of all kinds, including racist and homophobic slurs, are commonplace.

The women I know who play online avoid anything that would identify them as female - including voice communication - in order to avoid the unwanted, and frequently negative, attention. And that's just how players are intentionally insulting - what some people do while playing online can also be aggravating."

Not sure where he's getting this from. All our online gaming involves pleasant chit-chat and flowers. More rather sobering quotes through the link.