If you’ve been on the internet for more than a few hours, you know how mean, toxic, and downright horrible many corners of it can be. That’s doubly true when it comes to video game websites and communities. Now one publisher, Focus Entertainment, is pushing back against repeated threats and toxic messages from online users and asking people to calm the heck down.
On September 15, Focus Entertainment posted a message to its players on social media and across some of its Discord servers, including the server for Space Marine II. The message reminds players about its rules of conduct and how it expects players to “contribute to an environment where everyone feels welcome, respected, and included.” The statement also claims that in past years, the company has seen an uptick in toxic messages directed at its staff and devs. But recently, an “escalation” in threatening messages has forced the publisher behind Plague Tale to file “formal legal complaints” against some players.
Here’s the full message posted by Focus on Tuesday:
Today we’d like to remind everyone about the rules of conduct of this community. We expect you to contribute to an environment where everyone feels welcome, respected, and included, be it fellow community members, moderators, dev teams, or Focus staff. Focus staff have sadly seen their share of toxic messages over the past years, but a recent escalation has led Focus Entertainment to file formal legal complaints against players directly threatening team members. Our networks and hubs are about passion, not hatred. We are proud of our team and will not tolerate violent or sexist comments. We reserve the right to take all necessary legal action to protect our staff. Thanks for your attention.
The message doesn’t specify what may have triggered this recent increase in threats, nor does it provide any other context around the situation. Kotaku has reached out to Focus for more information, but has yet to hear back.
Sadly, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a video game company have to ask people to stop being vile assholes. Sony recently enacted a new policy to protect some of its support staff who have received more threats and toxic messages in recent weeks following the company’s controversial decision to end physical game production in 2028.