Examining Linguistic Toxicity in the Online Digital World: A Case Study on PUBG Mobile

Abstract

The present study aims to explore the nature, extent, and effects of linguistic toxicity in PUBG's online community. This is done by identifying the mechanisms through which toxic language impacts player experience and community dynamics. In other words, it seeks to study how language contributes to the study of toxic behaviours, potentially detracting from the game's enjoyment and inclusivity. In order to solve the aforementioned problematic, a textual linguistic analysis conducted whereby a corpus of twenty different expressions, which contain offensive and toxic language, extracted from real-time recording from the PUBG Mobile game, YouTube channels, and TIKTOK reels. The collected data were subjected to a literal and contextual interpretation. Then, the toxic part of the language is extracted and explained in a way that aligns with the Algerian cultural and linguistic background. The findings indicate that the game PUBG is loaded with extremely toxic language among players, regardless of their age, ethnicity, and cultural background. This showed that these behaviors affect the psychological side of players in a negative way, making the experience of the game less enjoyable and full of hate and anger.