Virtual Interaction of Death Trap Team Members in the Mobile Legends Game as a Form of Virtual Catharsis

This study explores the nature of virtual interaction among members of the "Death Trap" Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) team and investigates how this interaction functions as a form of virtual catharsis. MLBB, a popular Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game (Winarti, 2021; Taufik, 2022), serves as an intense, competitive virtual environment that requires profound team coordination. Employing a descriptive qualitative methodology, this research analyzed the communication patterns and emotional experiences of the Death Trap team, composed of students from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Medan Area University. Data was gathered through in-depth, semi-structured interviews (Sugiyono, 2013) and observation of in-game and out-of-game communications. The key findings reveal that the team's virtual interaction, facilitated through in-game voice chat and external social platforms, creates a strong social bond that transcends geographical distance. Crucially, the shared experience of competitive intensity provides an arena for emotional regulation and discharge. This process, termed virtual catharsis, allows team members to constructively release pent-up stress, aggression, and frustration derived from academic pressures and daily life through structured, high-stakes virtual engagement. The conclusion is that virtual interaction within competitive gaming groups functions as a significant mechanism for psychological relief, transforming the gaming space into a vital, dynamic social support system.