The majority of players nowadays play only for themselves. (I am speaking about public servers here, I assume the article is about online gaming on public servers). Despite the fact that most people play team-based games, they usually play only for themselves, not caring how the team is doing.
They will sit in the back of the base sniping at the enemy when the game requires you to complete objectives. In BF2 they would insist of either flying while their team looses, or wait patiently at the hanger to fly while the team is loosing, telling everyone that they are the best pilot out there, they just need to get a plane, then you will see. When the team lose, it was because they were playing with a bunch of noobs, or playing against hackers, its never their fault.
Its all about the K/D ratio for these people, which they publish everywhere for all to see, proud of themselves and hugging themselves to sleep every night.
The whole problem started when personal stats were introduced. But this was what the community wanted, and quite frankly its interesting to watch your own performance and see whether you are improving, but it introduced the stats junkies, people who play simply to be better than everyone else, even though they are playing team games. Very few stats indicates the player's actions other than combat. I wonder if people will play a game that doesn't award any points for kills, only reward you if you manage to complete an objectives.
Then of course there's the attitude of, I bought the game and therefore I am allowed to tell you how to play your game. Because how dare you play the game different from me, preventing me from being as good as I know (or my mom tells me) I am. I will call you names and post comments on the forums and tell everyone about it, I mean its easier than to accept a challenge. And all the like-minded people will agree. Unfortunately it seems that this is how the majority of gamers out there think.
Unfortunately the world is moving away from LANs, this became clear when AAA titles were released without LAN support. LANs used to be about fun, about socializing with friends and like minded people. However, its just easier nowadays, you can still communicate with your buddies, Teamspeak, the internet is fast enough to play games together, there is more people to play your favorite game with, no more having to play what everyone is playing, even if you you have to play Frontlines in Munich, Germany or BF2's Highway Tempa in the USA. Also at LANs people could see you, give you a smack against the head if you act immature (or call your mom to come and pick you up, something we had to do once).
I suppose all the small social LANs will gradually die away, its just not worth the effort anymore.
Of course not everyone behaves like this. There are those who play the game for fun, who play for the team, who seldom complains, who knows that while this round sucked, the next one will be better, who quietly make the game a better experience for everyone. They don't voice their grievances publicly, they don't leave comments on forums, hoping others will agree, they accept that everyone brings something different to the game, that's what makes it better than to play against programmed AI players.
You will not see them though, because your attention is focused on the loud mouth who feel everyone is interested in his opinions and the idiot who just have to ruin the game for everyone.