What is S.E.R.U.M?

WHAT DOES S.E.R.U.M MEAN?

The Society for the Eradication of Ridicule, Unpleasantness and Malice.

…WAIT, REALLY?

Look, the idea of this thing being named “serum” and therefore being a pun on countering toxicity was just too good. We worked hard to put that acronym together.

SO, WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

S.E.R.U.M is essentially our promise to the gaming community that we intend to do everything within our power to curb toxicity in gaming and promote positivity, inclusivity and good times for all.

HOW DID IT ALL START?

Simply put, we’d had enough of being screamed at and verbally abused while gaming online and decided to try and do something about it. A few folk have said we’re essentially trying to put out a forest fire with a pipette but hey, you don’t know until you try!

Check out Jamie’s meanderings on how S.E.R.U.M came to be and why it means so much to him.

SO, WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO?

Our aim is to rid the gaming world of toxicity and hate. No, seriously. We know what a monumental task that is but we’ll do our bit, we’ll hype up others who do theirs and we’ll figure it out as we go along.

Every change towards a more positive space is a win and if there’s one thing gamers love, it’s winning. With that in mind, we’ve laid out our core values below:

1. We absolutely will not tolerate any form of bullying. Any degrading or negative comments about race, gender, sexual orientation, identity, religion, disability or anything else are unacceptable and anyone we see or hear making such comments will be instantly reported via appropriate in-game systems and communication channels by all members of S.E.R.U.M who are present n game.

2. We fully accept that playful trash talk can be part of the gaming experience and isn’t inherently malicious but excessive trash talk, text spamming, deliberate irritation and the like is unacceptable. In these instances, we will make an attempt to reason with the individual at fault and ask that they curb their toxic behaviour. Those who do not will be reported as above.

3. We will endeavour to promote positivity by always throwing out the “glhf”, “gg” and the like. We will find positives in gameplay and comment accordingly and will promote the attitude that competitive play or no, games are there to be enjoyed.

4. We will use what platform we have (and which we hope to expand) to fundraise for various mental health charities across the globe and will also endeavour to assist our community members with their fundraising efforts wherever possible.

YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN FORCE EVERYONE TO GET ALONG?

Honestly? No. Not everyone.

What we CAN do is make small changes which may well lead to big changes. We can do our best and encourage others to do the same. As one of our group says, BYBB. Be You, But Better.

Good luck, have fun, play nice.

Be sure to follow S.E.R.U.M Gaming on Twitter for updates.