What is a strike?
A strike is a formal mark added to your StartPlaying account when you violate the Code of Conduct or Terms of Service.
Strikes are part of Young Heroes' three-strike policy. They are only visible to Young Heroes staff. Other users, players, and DMs cannot see if you have a strike on your account.
You will always be notified by email from youngheroes@startplaying.com if a strike is added to your account.
What can result in a strike?
Strikes can be issued for violations of Young Heroes' rules, including but not limited to:
Code of Conduct violations
Harassment, disrespectful behavior, no-call/no-show on sessions, or other community rule violations
Search Manipulation
Listing sessions you do not intend to run in order to gain visibility on the Find Games page. See What is Search Manipulation?
Table Splitting
oving players off the StartPlaying platform to avoid fees. See What is Table Splitting on Young Heroes?
Mature content policy violations
Listing or running games with content that violates Young Heroes' content policies. See Code of Conduct.
Other Terms of Service violations
This includes review manipulation, use of unauthorized artwork, or other breaches outlined in the Terms of Service
Note: Some behaviors are serious enough to result in an immediate, permanent ban without going through the three-strikes process. This decision is made at the discretion of the Head of Customer Experience.
How does the three-strike policy work?
Young Heroes operates a three-strike policy for all users:
Strike 1 = A formal warning. You will be notified by email with details of the violation.
Strike 2 = A second formal warning. You will be notified by email.
Strike 3 = Grounds for permanent removal from Young Heroes.
Each case is reviewed individually. Not every violation automatically results in a strike. The Support team assesses each situation before taking action.
What does a strike affect on my account?
Active strikes can impact your standing on Young Heroes in the following ways:
Account standing
Accumulating three strikes is grounds for permanent removal from the platform.
Strikes are not visible to players or other DMs and do not affect your public profile, listing visibility, or search placement.
Do strikes expire?
If you are unsure whether a strike on your account is still within its active window, contact Support and they can confirm your current standing.
I have a question or concern about a strike on my account. What should I do?
If you received a strike and believe it was issued in error, or have questions about how a past strike may affect your account, reach out to the Support team:
Use the chat button on this page, or
Email youngheroes@startplaying.com with the subject line "Strike Question"
Please include your account email address and a brief description of the situation. The Support team will review and respond during business hours, Monday–Friday 9AM–6PM EST.