Ubisoft has teamed up with mental health charity Safe In Our World to create the Good Game Playbook, a guide which aims to offer support to players experiencing toxic behavior online, as well as those behind it.
The playbook will be automatically sent to players who’ve been reported for disruptive behavior in For Honor and Rainbow Six Siege, as well as those who’ve reported it. For perpetrators, it’s hoped that the guide will help them recognize warning signs and cope with their anger, and also assist them in practicing self-care.
“At Ubisoft, our key objective is to create games that foster positive online experiences. Partnering with Safe In Our World has enabled us to provide our players with an expert’s approach and advice on a very complex topic,” said Jérémy Marchadier, Ubisoft’s director of player safety. “While the challenge of in-game toxicity is multifaceted, we remain steadfast in our belief that with a collaborative and comprehensive strategy, we can usher in meaningful change.”
This isn’t Ubisoft’s first attempt at reducing toxicity in gaming - the company previously partnered with Riot Games for the Zero Harm In Comms project, which studies toxic behavior in games with the hopes of training systems to detect and deal with it.
The Good Game Playbook scheme isn’t dissimilar to Ubisoft’s Fair Play Program, which was launched last year and offers videos, a self-assessment and quiz for players to take in order to recognize their triggers and overcome negative behavior.
Rosie Taylor, Safe In Our World’s content and community manager, says the charity is "delighted to see more proactive approaches" coming from Ubisoft, and is hoping that more games companies will implement schemes like this to "protect their player bases."
"Safe In Our World exists to create safer spaces in gaming, and this is a brilliant step contributing towards that," Taylor said.
For now, the Good Game Playbook is available in English and French, but it will be translated into more languages and sent out to players of other Ubisoft games later down the line.
If you love playing games online or with friends, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best multiplayer PC games, as well as the best co-op games.
