The experience of a new player, both survivor and killer.

So, I have been playing the game for a few months now, mostly as killer but also as a survivor on and off and it has been a very interesting experience. The game itself is interesting, with some obvious balance problems but frankly what game doesn't. And that isn't where this is going to be focused anyway. I don't have the experience or understanding of the game to critique it's balance. I have encountered cheaters too, but again I will not focus on that aspect either. But I can say that the players of this game overall have been some of the most disrespectful I have ever experienced in a game. And I have played other, notoriously toxic games.

I have had stacks of red rank 1 survivors, likely premade, keep me stuck in a game for over half an hour. Doing no generators, running circles around me. Tea bagging all the way. clicking flashlights. Like taunting someone just starting the game means anything. I have had survivors scream and threaten me in post game chat, demanding fights, threatening death. I have had more survivors that I can possibly count just be generally toxic. I have had people point and mock mistakes I have made on my 3rd ever game, not just say hey that was a mistake, here is how you can do better. Or even just saying hey that was a bad mistake. I have had people throw so much vitriol at me for being "outplayed" like that is even a bad thing. These tend to be the experienced players, though not all. It has been an utterly frustrating experience and has generally made me want to walk away, and I did for a good few weeks before giving it another try.

And I am sure people are going to point out that you need a thick skin on the internet, and I get that to an extent. But I have to wonder, if this is the normal experience for new players, how on earth do we expect to bring new people in? Why on earth are new players going to stick around if THIS is how we treat them? Because this isn't a gameplay issue. This is a behavioural issue. And that is just my killer experience.

As for my survivor experience. I have been griefed by my team plenty. I have had survivors group around me, jumping up and down as they watch me on the hook. I have had SO MANY people literally block my way to safety and force me to be hit or stop me escaping. I have been held hostage in a number of games as well, just recently 3 players teamed up with the killer so no gens were done, and they lead them right to me. Stopping me running and then just... sitting there. And once I was dead the killer just let the rest leave. I have had killers who have entirely sat on hooks watching to make sure I died. Letting people unhook and then making sure I was the only one they targeted. Much less verbal abuse from killers though I have to say but that may be a numbers thing. As far as I know I think I play a fair survivor. I don't teabag and I don't click flashlights to taunt people. I just play the game so I don't think I am doing anything deserving of whatever this is.

Honestly so much of this game from this new player's perspective is just...frustrating. People making the game unfun. People being abusive and toxic. And sure, mistakes happen and I have no issues with that. But the things I have mentioned are not mistakes.

For fairness's sake I will mention I have run into a few kind survivors who offered tips. Not many but a few. I have had a few people wish me gg and move on. I have also had a few people who, when they saw the BM, apologised and reported them along with me (And those that do this, you made the game MUCH better, thank you for that). But it really felt like it was a 5% kind player, 50% neutral player, and 45% toxic or negative player ratio in the games overall. I don't have a proposed solution for this. But this feels like a problem. Far more than any balance issue. Far more than the occasional cheater.

Is this the experience of other new players? Or have I been particularly unlucky in the last few months of play?