This occurs for three main reasons in my perspective: 1: If they were playing online when they were younger, they were probably verbally abused by older players aswell. As they grow up they transfer all this anger they built up onto the younger gamers that they once were. 2: They feel privileged to have the ability to look down on someone and call them a "squeaker" without that term applying to themselves as well. With age comes a strong sense of responsibility, but also a sense of pride and power. They abuse this power, because there is nothing the victim can do about it. 3: They were raised badly in a household of too many other siblings and family members that they never got enough attention from their parents. This connects to the first point, in that they are transferring their hatred towards other people onto people online. Except this is a more specific reason, only applying to select individual people, whereas point 1 will effect all gamers who have grown up playing video games with others I know what it's like to be neglected by other players, and I understand what you're going through. However, I was better off as my voice has been lower since I was about 12, meaning played thought I was much older. I am currently 16 and people have commonly mistaken me for a 20 year old.