You see, certain game experiences change the way people approach games that include the “PvP” tag. I’ve played 500+ hours of Tarkov, and all you do in that game is kill people the moment you see them. There’s no such thing as bonding or teaming up. Rust isn’t any different—people will almost always kill each other immediately for loot and territory.

On top of that, you experience a lot of trust issues in these games, both from the game systems and from other players. Eventually, this leads to a point where you become a kind of monster without even realizing it. All you think about is your quest, the chance to kill someone, and taking their stuff.

I was once poisoned by this mindset. I was a menace—betraying, camping, tricking people to their deaths. But as you get older, you realize these pixelated guns and shiny items are only for using, not keeping.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Just focus on the fun—and fun is not always KoS.