Dear Annie,

I got cut from the Esports team. I was getting really good at Fortnite and was catching dubs on a pretty regular basis. I guess I was getting a little too cocky and started to rub my fellow gamers the wrong way by doing Fortnite dances whenever I won or when someone on the team lost. I was asked to leave, and I’m trying to figure out my best next step and could use some advice.

Sincerely,
Your Friendly (and Repentant) Gamer Boi

Dear Your Friendly (and Repentant) Gamer Boi,

Do you want to compete with or against your Esports teammates? It’s one thing to celebrate beating bots by emoting in the game, but gloating in real life is a step too far. Forged in collaboration and competition, Fortnite’s community traverses the digital bounds.

Whether you are venturing to Tilted Towers in the Fortnite map solo or on a team, good sportsmanship holds the community together. Players say good game, or “gg” at the end of matches to foster mutual respect and humility, regardless of whether things go their way. When you “catch dubs,” you have to be polite about it.

With your Fortnite dance, you violated the “gg” code. Though you recognize dancing on a teammate’s defeat as self-centered, you realized it too late. The damage is done. To “res” your relationship with your brothers in (digital) arms, you have to take a second to reflect before apologizing.

Ask yourself why you joined GW’s Esports community in the first place. Video gaming could be done in solitude, but people join teams to share positive experiences with fellow gamers and make friends. Especially on a college campus – where life can be lonely and stressful – a social group with shared interests may bring a feeling of home.

Why put in the effort to make friends if you were just going to blow it anyway with poor sportsmanship? Podium placements change, but friendships do not have to follow the same path. You are not really catching “dubs” if you are doing it alone.

After ample time to reflect, focus on crafting the ultimate apology. Wait until sufficient time has passed. The game bled into real life, and Esports teammates need a cooling-off period. With time, they may be more receptive to your ultimate apology.

Acknowledge you were a source of frustration for your teammates. Share your intent to play with your teammates, not laugh at their losses. Promise to keep celebrations of victory in the game instead of real life, extending sportsmanship through “gg.”

If your teammates refuse to let you take a seat on the Battle Bus again, take up another hobby. I recommend crocheting as a suitable pivot hobby from Fortnite because you can still use your hands to perform deft, quick movements with a needle instead of a joystick. Since crocheting is an individual pastime, you’ll face no external competition. As you work on a solitary activity, you can practice better sportsmanship by being easy on yourself when a project goes awry. If you make a scarf that’s too thin to keep you warm, say the artistic equivalent of “gg” – good try – and move on.

It’s important to celebrate your triumphs, but you have to respect your teammates. You could just as easily take the L next round, and you would want people treating you kindly in your loss. People are more than bots, and a long-lasting connection with your teammates is the endgame.

Stay humble,
Annie <3