Sportsmanship and leaving a losing game by timing out
Once it is apparent that a game is hopeless for one player, most players are civil and either concede, or quickly play through their turns to bring the game to an end.
But, I've experienced enough players that just walk away from their computer and let the game finish by timing out, that I've taken the time to write this note.
It is an awful game play experience watching the opponent's timer count down for 3+ minutes. Particularly when it is obvious they are not looking at how they could win (checking card text, looking the graveyards, etc.) and are just hoping that the other player will get fed up and concede instead of waiting for all the timer extensions to expire.
My suggestion/question is whether players that repeatedly abandon games, as described above, could either be sanctioned in some way, or warned/reminded that this is bad behaviour that makes MTGA worse for everyone?

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Jungledyret#91864 commented
I've fought many battles to the end that I was sure I would lose, but it's pretty annoying to wait to die when you have 4 life left and no creatures against your opponent's 12 creatures, and your opponent just summons more creatures each round instead of jus making a full attack that would bring you down to -40.
In these cases, I fully understand why the losing player is leaving the match. Infact, it shouldn't be necessary to wait for the timeout. You should have the option to end it instant or at least force your opponent to do that final attack.
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Denied_Eden#14366 commented
Mtg arena puts players that spend money at lesser odds. Flooding or mana *****, whilst opponents get everything they need in timely fashion. # cheats
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Denied_Eden#14366 commented
I think arena is ******** to those who spend. Flooding or no mana while opponents get every card they need. If I did the spend money maybe it'll be fair. #cheats
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Ed@Greenwood#77091 commented
Maybe if a timer is followed by another timer without any action inbetween the timers will get shorter successively.
By 10 and 20 seconds -
Zuggo#25609 commented
Unfortunately WOTC is never going to sanction, penalize or punish these players in any way. They still want these players to spend more money.
What *I* would like to see is a separate bracket, or maybe even a checkbox that people can use. Everyone can start each season in the same bracket or group, but once you accrue 3-5 timeouts in a week/month/season or whatever, you can no longer participate in that group. But people with NO (or few) timeouts can participate in either group. I understand that sometimes people have issues. Game crashes, ISP problems, but those are YOUR problems. YOUR problems or YOUR lack of sportsmanship should not impede my ability to enjoy the game. You can go ahead and play with people that have the same problems, but I want to play with people that have the ability to finish a game, and do so respectfully. -
EDC#45751 commented
I find that this is getting worse all the time.
It is really taking away from the game play experience.
If there was a way to sanction those players in some way, or to create a way to block them so I don't have to play against them anymore would be ideal.
Some days I feel that it might be best to just delete the game and find something else to do with my time. -
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cyberblitzx#80863 commented
I'm getting really sick of this it's a time waster and ruining the game, why should I have to suffer 4 time outs because you're losing, that's the game be a good sport concede and move on. Jesus, just because you thought you were going to win and now it's apparent you are going to lose doesn't make it right. Just concede and move on with your life. And it's not like i'm playing a flavor of the week deck, or one of the countless bs decks I face(looking at you life gain squirrels) just a BW deck that I built my **** self without googling "best mtga decks"
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FoxDracon#53281 commented
Getting even more sick that mtg can't even program correctly for their own game, finding more and more cards that should result in x effects and don't ie pact weapon if unequipped from a creature while a opponent has less than 0 life = automatic loss, base camp supposed to tap for any color mana for clerics or their abilities there's at least a dozen other cards that are the same as well as their support site has been broken for about 2 weeks now! Getting to the point of wanting to pursue a lawyer
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jankControl#43384 commented
A penalty of some sort is warranted with a notice. I'm experiencing this after I've clearly won and the other player has lost interest. I'm not sure if they've thrown their phone across the room, but the timeouts shouldn't recover time. I've also seen people wait until the clock is almost out to make a move.
It makes the game less fun and rewards bad game play, due to the sore loser having no repercussions. Even a simple warning message would be nice.
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Woodrow#60748 commented
I agree 100%. I think the problem is much bigger in terms of how many players just allow games to go into a time out, including to end games, as noted above.
Make the second time out shorter, like 20 seconds, and the third time out 15 seconds. Don't renew a players time outs once they have started to use them.
I have had a player with one card and no mana left sit through all of his time outs until the very last second and then play his final card. Very annoying and disrespectful of the other players time.
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Gucky#97946 commented
Yes!