The Moral Status of Griefing
Abstract
Many gamers share the intuition that intentionally disrupting the enjoyment of other players sometimes warrants moral criticism. The word “griefing” is commonly applied to such cases, but disputes arise over which specific behaviors constitute griefing and why. In this chapter, Kenneth R. Pike contemplates the moral status of griefing through the lens of normative theory. Drawing from T. M. Scanlon’s writing on moral domains, Pike argues that griefing is best understood as a relational vice: the failure to properly value one’s playmates.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Digital Games and Media
Philosophical Ethics and Theory
Ethics
Aesthetics
and Art
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Routledge eBooks
- Pages
- 195–214
- Publication date
- 10 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter