by Michelle Young, Copy Editor 

I’m not much of a gamer, but in the games I have played, there never fails to be an entitled asshole who thinks they can dictate what I do and how I play. 

Some people tell me to increase the difficulty (while they’re already struggling), and others complain that certain characters are “useless.” Most recently, I had a team of people bash one of Genshin Impact’s latest characters, Kokomi, when I chose to play her as the healer for our team. While she had been criticized before release, I never thought I would meet people who had the audacity to complain to someone who plays her. 

I’m not someone who enjoys playing with characters just because they’re strong or powerful. I love Kokomi’s character design, personality, and she’s a great healer. While I could go on about why Kokomi is fantastic, the fact is, regardless of strength, games should be a source of fun and connection. I play them because I want to explore fantasy worlds — not argue with infuriated strangers who die after one hit. 

Gaming as a whole should create community, not division and petty arguments. I’ve met plenty of nice people in games, and we should be encouraging one another, not putting others down. I’m grateful to all the people who were excited to see me play with Kokomi, but I also know other players have also had difficult experiences. I should be able to play how I want, with who I want, and not be criticized for it. I ask anyone who plays alongside others to be kind and stop hating on Kokomi, because she’s definitely cuter than you are.