Being punished for leaving is the standard for almost any competitive team based game these days, because if you don't do that then people leave on a whim and the game is ruined.

> Nothing is worse being stuck in a game where you are not having fun and you are forced to keep playing or be punished otherwise.

It works approximately the same irl for board games or sports. If you just walk off the court in a basketball game because you're not having fun, everyone else will be pissed. Ditto if you just ditch a board game session midway through.

It's funny you mention age, because I have essentially the opposite take. Ditching a match for a game you like because that particular match isn't going well is immature; I'd expect someone older to handle themselves better than someone younger, not throw a fit.

Now of course there are some games where it's fine for people to jump in and out, they're designed around that, but just like with other sorts of games, it's hard to get competitive matches that way.

> It's funny you mention age, because I have essentially the opposite take. Ditching a match for a game you like because that particular match isn't going well is immature; I'd expect someone older to handle themselves better than someone younger, not throw a fit.

There are two things. First, it is not about maturity it is about having other responsibilities in life. If my kid needs something from me I am going to drop the video game and help my kid — it’s called having a dependent for a reason. Second, I have less free time as I get older so why would I spend precious little time I have being socially locked into a situation I am not enjoying?

You seem to be projecting that if someone cannot commit to a competitive activity/sport they are somehow immature, but in reality lots of people cannot or do not want that in their life.

My comment was not saying that Deadlock is a bad game or somehow invalid, my comment is that the type of game Deadlock is does not mesh with my tastes/life.