Competitive online games such as Apex Legends place players under high-performance pressure that often triggers toxic communication behavior and interpersonal conflict within teams. This study investigates the forms of toxic behavior players encounter and the conflict-resolution strategies they use inside the Apex Legends Indonesia (ALI) Discord community. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, data were gathered through in-depth interviews and participant observation involving six informants purposively selected to represent variation in competitive rank (low, middle, and high tier) and playing intensity (active and passive). The findings show that toxic behavior mainly appears as verbal aggression, blaming, and disruptive in-game actions such as griefing, while players respond mainly through avoidance-oriented strategies: muting or ignoring toxic teammates, tolerating such behavior more when it comes from close friends, and postponing conflict discussion until after a match to protect team performance. Conflict-handling patterns vary somewhat by rank, with higher-rank informants adjusting their in-game caution more than their verbal style. This study contributes to the understanding of toxic communication and conflict management in competitive virtual spaces and offers practical implications for gaming communities and developers seeking more inclusive communication design.
Copyrights © 2026