Kill Stealing

Overview

Kill stealing is extremely prominent in multi-player shooters and MMORPG's. Many times, one player will attack another player or A.I. enemy, and damage them heavily. Another player will attack the same target, do less damage overall, but is still able to inflict the final blow, getting the point or the experience. The player who attacked first feels as if their work was for nothing, and usually gets frustrated.

In team games where only 2 teams are competing, kill stealing is only a minor problem. While players who had kills stolen may feel some dismay, the points still go to the team's overall score. Some games will acknowledge both players work by giving one player a kill point, and the other an assist point. Assist points are rarely added to the team score, but are used as proof of the work done by helpful players. If, however, more than two teams are in a match, a kill can be stolen from a third player not on either team of the fighting players. In free-for-all games, kill stealing can be a major problem. A stolen kill will give a player a point many will think s/he did not deserve. Some players will deliberately steal kills, so that they will get points/experience with the minimal effort, spend less ammo/magic, and face a lowered risk of danger from other players.