20 Video Games That Ruin Friendships

While many games aim to be lighthearted, they can surprisingly create tension and turn a fun get-together awkward. Competitive features, hidden strategies, and the pressure of teamwork quickly reveal who’s selfish with resources, forgets to communicate, or can’t resist backstabbing. These games are enjoyable when everyone stays calm, but they also have a knack for creating lasting disagreements long after the game is over. Here’s a look at some common culprits and why they tend to cause drama.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart races are notorious for turning calm gatherings into wild competitions. The game keeps things exciting by making it hard for anyone to pull too far ahead, and items often target the leading player. A single hit from a Blue Shell or a lightning strike can instantly undo a lot of hard work. Features like smart steering and auto-acceleration help new players stay competitive, ensuring no one is ever truly safe from attack. Plus, quick rematch options in both local and online play mean you can immediately get revenge on anyone who takes you down.

Super Smash Bros Ultimate

As a Smash player, I can tell you this game really separates the good players from the great. It’s not just about button mashing – you *need* to understand all the characters and how they match up against each other. A single item or even just the stage itself can completely change a fight, and honestly, people are *always* arguing about what rules are best! Because knockback is so powerful, one slip-up near the blast zone and it’s game over. And forget about four-player free-for-alls without someone accusing others of teaming up – it just comes with the territory!

Mario Party Superstars

The traditional game board features unpredictable Chance Time events that can suddenly change a player’s stars and coins. Quick reflexes are key in the mini-games, but even the best strategies can be derailed by unexpected spaces. A final bonus star payout often determines the winner, leading to lively debates. And a single bad encounter with Bowser can quickly ruin everyone’s fun.

Among Us

The game tests who you can trust, as players deceive, blame others, and manipulate to stay alive. Urgent meetings lead to quick, often misunderstood, accusations. Knowing how things work and using secret passages gives players an advantage. Sometimes, discovering a teammate is the hidden enemy feels even more devastating than being directly eliminated.

Overcooked 2

The fast pace and changing workspaces demand excellent teamwork. Mistakes like missed orders or dropped plates lead to low scores and finger-pointing. Successfully tossing ingredients and navigating moving platforms requires everyone to know their job and talk to each other constantly. Because the game gets challenging quickly, even a small lack of coordination can ruin the entire attempt.

It Takes Two

This game features two players who must perfectly coordinate their actions to succeed. Each level introduces new challenges that require careful timing and teamwork. Mistakes or miscommunication will slow you down and can be frustrating. While the game is cooperative, it also subtly tracks your successes, adding a friendly competitive element to the shared story.

Rocket League

Even small errors are easily spotted in Rocket League because everything is visible to all players. Team rotations fall apart when players overcommit or chase the ball, creating easy scoring opportunities for the opponent and leading to frustration. Ranked matches severely penalize missed shots and uncoordinated plays, causing significant rank changes. The quick chat feature can quickly escalate tensions and spread negativity.

EA Sports FC 24

FIFA Ultimate Team often leads to disagreements about in-game currency, card packs, and penalty kicks. Discussions about input lag and how the game feels often turn into arguments about whether it’s fair. Playing with friends in Co-op or Pro Clubs demands teamwork and sticking to a strategy. Even a simple mistake, like a missed tackle or a flashy move at a bad moment, can cause tension – and maybe even ruin friendships – when a game is on the line.

Call of Duty Warzone

The fast-paced nature of battle royale games makes decisions about weapons and where to move crucial. Winning in the Gulag and buying back into the game adds pressure to perform for your team. Getting attacked by other players while fighting creates tension and can lead to blame. Finally, the shrinking safe zone at the end of the game favors teams who communicate well and quickly eliminates players who wander off alone.

Fortnite

Successful team battles require quick adjustments and effective teamwork, which can be challenging. When players of different skill levels are grouped together, it often doesn’t feel fair. Managing movement and staying safe from the storm constantly forces difficult choices, leading to disagreements. And creative game modes, with their bets and extra competitions, keep old rivalries alive.

Fall Guys

Difficult physics-based games make collisions feel intensely personal. Team play requires you to work with others, even those you don’t know well, and accidental throws are common. Championships can be decided by a single, poorly timed move, often leading to immediate requests for a rematch. The fast-paced, time-limited nature of these games keeps things exciting, but also creates a lot of pressure and frustration.

League of Legends

Success in this game relies on how well five different roles work together to maintain a lead and control the map. Players constantly fight over advantages created by smart positioning, controlling minion waves, and efficient jungle navigation. Every loss, whether through a formal surrender, chat disagreements, or ranked point deductions, feels significant. Because matches can be lengthy, even a small early error can feel devastating.

Dota 2

Difficult team compositions and limited time to act increase the need for strong teamwork. Early game choices that prioritize personal preference over what the team needs can be heavily punished. Successfully trading objectives depends on effective use of smokescreens and maintaining good map vision, both of which are easy to mess up. While it’s possible to turn a game around, it takes consistent focus and coordination that randomly assembled teams often lack.

Valorant

Success in team play relies on coordinated actions; if players don’t work together, rounds are lost. Choosing the right agents impacts a team’s resources, visibility, and strategies after planting the spike. Poorly used utility like smokes and flashes are easily noticed and often highlighted in replays. Losing repeatedly in ranked matches quickly leads to heated and critical discussions in voice chat.

Counter Strike 2

Effective teamwork in competitive games relies on balancing spending and saving resources. Success requires precise coordination between players and leaders. Often, games are decided by small errors – a failed bomb defusal or a poorly timed flashbang – which lead to intense post-game analysis. Replays highlight these mistakes, making them difficult to overlook.

Rainbow Six Siege

Each operator has special equipment that needs to be used as part of a well-coordinated strategy. Quick adaptation – including bringing in reinforcements, switching positions, and using drones – is crucial, as slow reactions will be exploited. Paying attention to sound is vital; careless movement can jeopardize the whole team. A single mistake, like a poorly thrown grenade or a bad shooting angle, can cause a team to lose control of an area.

Civilization VI

When multiple players act at the same time and games go on for a long time, even minor offenses can feel like major insults. Agreements and trades often mask hidden goals, leading to feelings of betrayal. Espionage, aggressive actions, and unexpected crises can create lasting resentment. And a sneaky move right before someone is about to win can easily ruin friendships for weeks.

Sea of Thieves

When you share treasure with others, every mistake could mean losing hours of work. Exploring the open world is dangerous, with ambushes that require teamwork and calm nerves. Successfully sailing and fighting relies on clear communication between crew members handling the sails, steering, and cannons. And losing a ship full of treasure usually leads to a very silent group.

UNO

The way the game builds on itself, with players adding cards repeatedly, can quickly feel unfair. Different groups often play by slightly different rules, leading to arguments even before the game begins. Unexpected changes in direction caused by wild cards frequently create tension. And playing on digital devices can turn a quick game into a long-lasting feud with endless rematches.

The Jackbox Party Pack

Games that involve bluffing and general knowledge can quickly expose what people don’t know, as well as who’s good at pretending. When the audience gets to choose or suggest things, it can lead to jokes that leave some people feeling left out. Games that require drawing or using words often reveal when someone is taking credit for another’s ideas or when players are secretly working together. Scoring systems and bonus rounds can dramatically change the results and even reignite old disagreements.

Tell us which game sparked your most unforgettable fallout in the comments.

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2025-10-17 14:49