Opinion is split after the organizers of the upcomingKiller InstinctWorld Cup confirm that players caught ‘teabagging’ during tournament play will receive a season-long ban.
In March, theKiller InstinctWorld Cup is scheduled to take place in San Antonio, Texas, serving as the finale of the 2016-17 season of top-level competition for theenduringly popularfighting game. It’s now been confirmed that any player who taunts their opponent by ‘teabagging’ will be banned from participating in the 2017-18 season.
For the uninitiated, ‘teabagging’ refers to the practice of repeatedly crouching to taunt an opponent. It’s most popular in FPS games, but it’s often seen inKiller Instinctbecause the game allows players to move around freely between rounds and after a KO.
Tournament organizers are citing a desire for sportsmanship and professionalism as the reasoning behind the ban. The rule was in place at last year’s event, and has been reinstated for 2017 after an online discussion of the practice devolved into threats of violence, according to a report fromEvent Hubs.
The organizers are clearly trying to instil a sense of legitimacy to the tournament, and it’s easy to see why. Pro gaming is agrowing enterprise, and it would be unwise for anyone in charge of a tournament to let unsporting behavior detract from the event.
This isn’t the most drastic action taken to ensure that a gaming tournament goes ahead without controversy. The Electronic Sports League starteddrug testingat events in 2015, after it emerged that topCounter-Strike: Global Offensiveplayers had been taking Adderall to improve their performance.
“We promote a fun, professional and safe experience,” wroteKiller InstinctWorld Cup organizer in a Facebook post. “Not a violent and unprofessional one.” However, some members of the fighting game community feel that the ban could have a negative impact on the quality of competition.
High-level play in a game likeKiller Instinctis as much about mind games as it is about conventional offence and defence. Many players taunt their opponent to try and reveal a weakness, but that strategy has effectively been outlawed by the rules laid down for the World Cup.
“Stirring emotion in your opponent is a key tactic in all competition/warfare,“tweetedIron Galaxy’s Adam Heart. Despite support from the development team and top players, it doesn’t seem like the event’s organizers intend to overturn the ban.
Killer Instinctis available now for Xbox One and PC.
