Face-Threatening Acts in Online Gaming: A Case Study of Free Fire Players

Abstract

With the rapid changes in technology, the interests of people specially children and youngsters get shifted or changed. Generally, when we want to enjoy our leisure time: one way is to play games. But with the passage of time, the term ‘playing game’ has been shifted from ‘physical games’ to ‘online games. Now a days, Free Fire which is an online mobile battle royale game, has emerged as a premier platform for online gaming, attracting a vast and diverse players. This study helps to identify the face-threatening acts within Free Fire, by examining 2 cases with the aim to illuminate the complexities of online gaming sociality, and which language they are using while playing the game and how they became habitual of using that language in their homes. The findings highlight the need for game developers to eradicate such sort of impolite speech acts which is sabotaging the identity of youth. Multiple suggestions are given in the study to eradicate the face threatening elements from Free Fire and how the same game can play a positive role for people. Moreover, this study contributes to understanding online gaming cultures, social interactions and psychological factors influencing player behavior, informing evidence-based interventions for safer and more respectful gaming communities.