Hi all,
I've been contacted today by a family member of a fellow Worms player. The player in question has been spending a lot of time playing the game, as well as participating in competitive events, up to the point where it began to affect their health and personal life, ending with an unfortunate situation.
So, I'd like to ask all of you to keep in mind that there are many, many things that are much more important than some 1999 video game about worms. Your health and family come foremost. Also, remember that every hour you play video games, including Worms Armageddon, is one hour you could have spent doing something productive or improving yourself (fitness, skills, career, etc.).
Additionally, as ESRB puts it... "Game Experience May Change During Online Play". Our community is generally nice, but can often be abrasive and unfortunately sometimes even vindictive and harsh. As much as I wish it could improve, there is little I can do about human nature.
It may not be easy to realize the full spectrum of outcomes from our decisions. Right now there are almost no limits on who can play online and no filters on what they can say once in-game, so it's not possible to predict what kind of person you will play against tomorrow. So, if you feel like playing online, or entering an event, might affect you or your life in a negative way, please just don't do it. It's not worth it, and there are better ways to fill your time.
And everyone else, please remember that the people behind the screen are also fellow humans, and might be more sensitive to some words or actions than others. Some people are more susceptible, some people may not realize when it's time to stop. It may not be easy when the other person is just some pixels on a screen, but please try to keep an element of humility and compassion in your online interactions.
Thank you.