Microsoft Updates Xbox Live Guidelines To Address ‘Trash Talk’

Microsoft Clarifies ‘Trash Talking’

I am a firm believer in that ‘trash talking’ can be an acceptable practice in gaming. It is, after all, fun to have a little banter to try and get the people you are playing with engaged in a positive way.

It does, however, raise the question as to when is this taken too far?…

Well, following an update to the Xbox Live Community Standards, Microsoft has given some refreshing clear advice as to what is acceptable and what isn’t.

Don’t Do What Donny Don’t Does

Firstly, the good news is that it appears that Microsoft largely agrees that ‘banter’ is part and parcel of online gaming. As such, within acceptable remits, you are allowed to poke a little fun at your opposition. Only, however, based on the following suggestions.

Some of the ‘ok’ comments include;

• Get destroyed. Can’t believe you thought you were on my level
• That was some serious potato aim. Get wrecked
• Only reason you went positive was you spent all game camping. Try again, kid
• Cheap win. Come at me when you can actually drive without running cars off the road
• That sucked. Get good and then come back when your k/d’s over 1.

So, what isn’t allowed?… Well, basically anything that falls into the murky remits of being ‘hateful’. Microsoft considers the following as ‘going too far’;

• Get *insert sexual threat here*. Can’t believe you thought you were on my level
• Hey *insert sexual orientation slur here*, that was some serious potato aim. Get wrecked, trash
• Only reason you went positive was you spent all game camping. KYS, kid
• Cheap win. Totally expected from a *insert racial slur here*
• You suck. Get out of my country—maybe they’ll let you back in when your k/d’s over 1.

What Do We Think?

The guidelines themselves are actually rather excellent and it’s certainly refreshing to see Microsoft take such a mature, but clear stance on what you can and can’t get away with on their gaming platform.

Admittedly, people actually paying attention to these guidelines is a whole other matter. It is, however, if nothing else, a positive start.

What do you think? What’s the best insult you can come up with that’s acceptable within the guideline remits? In addition, do you like the new guidelines? – Give us your best in the comments!