What an absurd tweet it was with which Sony reminded everyone about the block feature `-` maybe some of us only remember it when we are already deep into some obnoxiously toxic lobby. Then the official @AskPlayStation serves us with a quick tutorial to help us block some unwanted players from viewing one’s profile and messaging him or her. Much easier than screaming into the void.
Unless you check out those wonderful reply sections. Talk about players having way bigger problems than salty opponents. One was complaining about his brand-new PS5 rejecting an account with an “incompatible factory settings” error message. Yikes. Other than that were the regular whining about LAN cables disconnecting mid-game, which apparently have been a recurring topic of discussion on Reddit for weeks now. And then the classic one: “Make online multiplayer free.” Good luck with that.
This blocking is nothing new but believe me, such things come into play when FIFA players start calling names or someone’s mic is… just horrendous. There is even a comment jokingly stating that blocking FIFA enemies has almost become a hobby. But anyway, if blocking doesn’t do the trick, you still can escalate: report. Honestly, all we want to do is just game without someone telling us over a headset that we suck.
The PlayStation support page explains that blocking stops someone from viewing your profile, messaging you, and joining your sessions. This feature definitely is not something new and a lifesaver when FIFA players start insulting or when someone’s microphone is just horrible. It’s just not a full solution (they can still join your games through matchmaking unless you change the privacy settings), but it’s a start. And if you choose to be a little nicer later on, you can even unblock them if they apologize… or if you need to rope them into helping with a raid.
Meanwhile, the comments section is a mixed bag of thank yous and complaints. Some players said that the feature keeps their Gaming Experience chill, whereas some others harass PlayStation for emphasizing blocking rather than rooting out the bigger issues (say, stick drift). One user thinks the company is trolling for even coming up with a solution to blocking when so many other issues are left unsolved.
That blocking is easy but maybe then PlayStation can take a look into those error codes and disconnections? Just saying. Once that’s done, it’s time for a block party, then basking in silence. Or the pleasant sound of a game sans a single commentary from someone’s really pissed-off little brother.
And if you are one of those who really–quite a bit– get blocked, maybe some reflection is in order. Or maybe not. That block is here to stay.
(And pro tip: And if those support links give you trouble, try throwing an “/en-us/” at the end of the URL. Cheers to whoever mentioned it.)
