Why do people rage at reviews and news?

I think all of you who read this follow the game industry and the news around games in general. I do to. But I noticed a trend: gamers seem to rage and shout death threats against reviewers and journalists for just reviewing or bringing news about the delay of a game! I, as a student in his last year for Dutch high school, am wanting to research this phenomenon. I know not only gamers, but also fans of cinema and tv do this, but i am focusing on gaming because I know more about games than tv or cinema. So, the question is: why do gamers rage so much at what matters so little? If you did something like this, why? And if you never did something like this, why do you think this happens? Thanks for helping and reading this wall of text! :D

People like to over-exaggerate their feelings and be overly dramatic about significant things over the anonymity of the Internet. I think most of it is just mob mentality. It seems as if most people on the Internet share the same opinions because people are so loud about certain subjects. It's all just a hivemind circlejerk of insignificant nonsense and I don't think there's any real rhyme or reason to it all. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I honestly have no idea.

Getting angry that someone gives a game you like a lower score then you think it does is quite silly, voicing death threats to not only such a reviewer but also one that reports a game you're looking forward to is getting somewhat delayed is sheer pathetic.

@Treflis: even more stupid is when people attack devs or writers and reviewers who give good scores! Then I truly lose hope....

@triceror: I think that there is a problem on both sides of the argument. There are gamers that take shit way too seriously mixed in with a bunch of trolls who like to poke the bear just to see if it'll tear their face off. Meanwhile, we've got a bunch of 'journalists' who also seem to poke the bear quite often with their clickbait titles and clearly biased articles. I believe this behavior is encouraged by many of the bigger gaming media sites to inflate site traffic/ad revenue. Too many articles that intentionally stoke the flames of the console wars. And far too often an article or review will be given to someone who is the absolute worst choice to write about that particular subject. i.e. Don't have Alexa review a gory/bloody game when she's already stated blood makes her uncomfortable, objectivity flew out the window before the game was even started.

It's the bandwagon trend.

Hating (almost) everything is the equivalent of joining the popular crowd on the internet. Viewing the top 'like' feature on GS discussion articles makes this an absolute fact.

Being coherent and reasonable is just not what most here do.

However, those that do think for themselves are the reason I stay, few as they are.

For every one-hundred posts moaning about an '8/10' review and trashing games that ain't even out yet, you have at least five level-headed users worth a discussion/ and respect.

because of opinions and the internet

Welcome to the internet and the human race.

First time you are here? because people have been ranting and yelling and complaining since there was humans on this planet.

It´s what most do best.

as @Jacanuk says it's just human nature.

our views are formed by our own cognitive biases and, as these forums demonstrate repeatedly by some of the obstinate and self righteous f*ckers who post, narcissism.

intelligent people recognise this is our nature and attempt to objectively rationalise their views until they arrive at an opinion that is considered and isn't dripping in prejudice. these people are usually the ones who are good to get into a discussion with or whose opinions are worth listening to.

the idiots can't begin to grasp this so unwaveringly stick to their views, convinced that they're right, despite any reasonable arguments to the contrary, particularly if others share similar opinions, which they see as validation for theirs. this, combined with the anonymity of the internet, gives them the confidence to voice their opinions increasingly more aggressively.

then you have those "lovable" rogues who purposely act pigheaded and ignorant in an attempt to provoke a reaction from others, commonly known as 'trolls' in the US or 'wind-up merchants' in the UK.

they are all part of the wonderful tapestry that makes up online communities

@triceror: Because they are too dumb to understand what a review is.

I bet these people get angry at a lot of things. It comes with the lack of intelligence.

Anything they don't understand (most things) will feel like a threat to them.

Just like dogs and vacuum cleaners. It is bigger than them and makes a loud noise, so it must be dangerous.

Because the internet is a f***ing cesspool of anger, shouting, knee-jerk reactions, self-delusion, anti-intellectualism, narcissism, and just plain douchebaggery for no reason other than for the sake of it, and I f***ing hate this decade so much.

Sorry for the rant. Last week I had the misfortune of coming across a sample of these internet bottom-feeders, who expressed themselves in all their wretched glory over a mind-numbingly trivial topic of very little consequence. I've already given up any hope for humanity a long time ago, so I thought there was nothing more these worthless excuses for human beings could do to piss me off. Boy how wrong I was. I won't go into any more details than that, because it would just make me angry again.

all the data I have recieved from this threat is helping me a lot. Thanks to everybody that has participated! if there are more people who want to share their opinion and theory on the matter please do! :D

@Macutchi: Well put.

Just once more I will try and get more info, even though you all gave me really good info! so please if any newcomers have not yet thrown their hat into the ring, please do!