How to handle losing at games?

In any competitive game, nobody likes losing or feel like a loser. Unfortunately, not everyone "Hardcore Gamer 365" who plays games for a million or so hours to get at a high level but even with that in mind, you can still be destroyed by a stronger player. Losing is an awful feeling even outside of games but with that said, how do you handle losing?

Either extremely gracefully like 'That just happened.' or laughing it off or with unbridled boiling RAGE!

Well, what I often do is ignore the objective of the game. In Team Fortress 2, I sometimes just stand around and eat sandviches instead of being useful. Or in Soul Calibur V, I will sometimes play as Yoshimitsu online only to kill myself with multiple seppuku attacks.

I kinda think this helps me not take games very seriously.

I don't play in the MLG levels but when I do lose at a game, I typically take a deep breath and move on. If my loss is really bad, I change games.

I usually don't mind, that's how winning works - someone has to lose.

Just for whatever reason that's not working for me, I just stop playing that for a bit...

... and then play another game.

edited 6th Aug '12 6:58:16 PM by VutherA

Given that the only games I've played competitively (and thereby care if I lose at) are Pokemon titles or similarly strategic games, I see it as a learning experience that allows me to re-formulate my strategy.

edited 6th Aug '12 6:57:11 PM by burnpsy

My idea is that if you're playing a game with a large number of other players (think most shooters), losing, and not enjoying it, then go ahead and quit before you get pissed and start raging.

Of course, this goes out the window if you're playing a MOBA or any "personal" game (like Pokemon). Just grin and bear it, in these cases.

edited 6th Aug '12 6:59:43 PM by BaronofBarons

Wall, meet controller, controller, meet wall.

It is often hard not to that when you are getting your ass kicked.

Get better.

I usually try to calm down and if I don't understand why I lost, go over the replay (Starcraft). But if I feel too frustrated I just take a break. And really, if you're not a progamer, you can just take a break and it's completely fine.

Throw a hissy fit and blame my teammates.

In all honesty i'm pretty sportsmanlike when it comes to games, and probably treat them as Serious Business when I'm actually playing them. I always play the "Honorable" way and if I win I win, and if I lose I lose. In fighting games, for example, I often throw my opponent a "Good game" whenever we had a particularly close match regardless of who won and in Dark Souls PVP I always respect courtesy bows. Having this attitude really dulls the pain of loss.

I guess the secret is to just have fun, and remember that your opponents are human too.

Of course, all this goes out the window if my opponent is using "Dishonorable" tactics. I'm usually pretty open about these things (If it's in the game, it's legal. Usually.) but sometimes it's just too much. Rumble Fighter, for example, had people creating new accounts or intentionally losing matches so they could rank down and pick on newbies. Call Of Duty had one match of point capture last for freakin' ever because the opposing team of guildmates just camped the last point and farmed kills as people tried desperately to end the damn match. Soooo... I don't play Rumble Fighter or Call Of Duty anymore.

edited 6th Aug '12 7:25:38 PM by ShirowShirow

Depends. Sometimes I laugh. Sometimes I honestly don't care. Sometimes I punch the person (this is only when my brother or friends are involved). Sometimes I throw the shitfit to end all shitfits and then become a mopey self hating mess.

Typically laughing is the most common thing from me. These also mix.

Depends. If I get destroyed in a shooter, I don't give a crap unless it's Left 4 Dead (where it actually matters) since I suck at FPS's. A fighter, if I lose to a pro or someone who's just better than me, grin, crack a few jokes and wait for a rematch for more "training". If I lose to lag (unlike most people I can't play online so I'm not used to it in the slightest) or some really bad tactic ("looking" for a hit), I'll give an angry sigh. If it's an RPG or platformer, expect me to not give up until I finally win.

edited 6th Aug '12 9:28:15 PM by SuperFrost

Lose, in STYLE! */bind suicide*

If it's Team Fortress 2, I switch around to different classes, try different weapons, etc. Get better at the classes I suck at, or just try not to lose confidence in my medic skills.

If it's Smash Bros. Brawl, understand why I lost and get better. Study counter-picks, stage picks, how the opponent plays, etc.

Blame the game for your suckage. 's what I do.

I don't think anyone enjoys losing, but I'm usually fine with it, provided my opponent isn't smug about it. I'm fairly competitive, yes, but I'm more concerned about having fun and being sportsmanlike than anything else. I'm pretty much like Shirow above. I tend to congratulate my opponents and thank them for a match. I've even had a few laughs over goofs I've made that have led to my own losses.

Well that was fun. AGAIN!

I don't really know how to handle losing. I have yet to experience it.

LOLOLOLOL

I just carry on.

I just laugh a loss off usually. I don't play at high levels so it really doesn't matter. I will quit out if I end up completely stomped though.

I use the tried and true method of secretly blaming my teammates for all my losses.

I'm actually one of those types who still enjoys losing in some situations. To be more precise:

• If it was a team game:
  • Was it my fault we lost? If so, I try to figure out what I did wrong so we can do better next time.
  • If it was a teammate's fault, am I playing with friends or strangers?
    • Friends: Try to help that friend improve.
    • Strangers: If it turns out The Load is on my team, I quit and find other people to play with.
• Else if it was a 1-on-1 game, is my opponent a good sport and a graceful winner? If not, cold shoulder. (I have been known to forfeit a match and walk out in mid-game while snarking that playing with a lump of asbestos would be more fun, on the occasion that my opponent is sufficiently obnoxious.)
• Else, did I lose due to bad luck or lack of skill?
  • If it was luck, I shrug it off and congratulate my opponent. If this happens a lot, I'll quickly get bored and quit playing the game. (Mario Kart, I'm looking at you and your blue shells.)
  • If it was skill, I think it's an honor to play against such an amazing opponent. I'll try to learn something from them while trying to invoke Defeat Means Friendship. I genuinely enjoy playing against skilled opponents, since it results in intense and exciting games, so I'll try to get their name and some sort of contact for the sake of setting up future rematches. I also find this to be one of the best ways to improve, by learning from the best.

edited 6th Aug '12 11:51:34 PM by PoochyEXE

I live by Andy Bogard's winquote (I forget which KOF game this was, I think it was 98):

"If you want to be the best, its practice everyday."

Usually I don't take losing too badly, and oftentimes I just put in another quarter and try again. If I really, REALLY want to win, I keep playing. If the game is pissing me off, I take a break and do something else for awhile.

Approximations of loss reactions experienced/I've personally done:

Playing with sibling(s): *sigh* again!
Playing with other relatives: Dang.
Playing with friends: *handshakes* Nicely done!

I recommend trying the third as much as possible when playing with anyone, regardless of (lack of) blood relations. Last I lost to a friend, it was a really close match (SSBB, stock match, final destination, each of us had one life left with high damage), and I honestly didn't feel that bad about it.

You can't lose family, but you can lose friends (as petty as breaking a friendship over something like this is).

edited 7th Aug '12 12:26:52 AM by Ikiniks