At one time, the gamer was considered an isolationist living a solitary life among daisy chained screens. The gamer didn’t want to attend social events, instead, he/she only wanted to sit in a dark room and play their favorite game until mastered. And then it was on to the next conquest.
Maybe all that’s a bit of hyperbole. But it’s not super far from the truth. However, the advent and continued evolution of multiplayer gaming capacity has changed all of that. Gaming is now a socially interactive event.
Let’s explore.
Today, gaming is shaping social interactions.
Many popular games sell on the idea that you can connect with other players. These might be your friends, and maybe people you just met.
Gaming has given rise to a slew of vibrant online communities where diverse backgrounds converge and work together to accomplish a virtual mission. Unlike interacting at an office or a happy hour, gamers might be anywhere in the world.
These gaming social hubs are where people bond and form friendships through teams. There are many platforms which help orchestrated it all. Discord is a big one. Discord’ chat platform enables a real-time communication that deepens connections between players.
Communication Improving Through Games
Gamers often have their own lingo. That aside, multiplayer gaming tends to force communication due to teamwork and strategy needs. Gamers learn to collaborate and problem solve. In some games, they may even need to negotiate.
An excellent example of games that improve communication is InnerSloth’s “Among Us,” which is a multiplayer game that hit shelves in 2018. Players must work together and figure out who infiltrators are, or those who might want to thwart their strategy. Communication in “Among Us” is absolutely crucial in figuring out who the impostors might be.
The game requires players be articulate as well as listen to others.
Bridging Cultural Gaps
We mentioned earlier that gaming helps cross borders. Gaming serves as a powerful medium for folks all over the world to connect. This leads to people learning about different traditions both through and outside the game. Many games incorporate elements from various cultures, as well, further lending itself to finding common grounds.
“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” by CD Projekt Red is an excellent example of a game that supports the concept of bridging cultural gaps. This 2015 action role-playing game sets itself in a fantasy world that’s inspired by a lot of unique mythologies and European folklore.
“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” immerses players in diverse cultures within each of its game worlds. Within those worlds, there’s various unique traditions and beliefs and conflicts.
Moreover, “The Witcher 3” includes several storylines that require the player to engage with and sometimes mediate between conflicting cultural perspectives.
Addressing Social Challenges
While there’s a ton of good that comes from gaming on the social front, there’s also some bad. But like everything, the bad helps teach us how to be better humans. In this case, online bullying and exclusionary practices often arise in gaming communities. This vastly depreciates positive interactions.
Clearly, this behavior is hardly exclusive to gaming. Its just how some people act no matter what they’re up to. The important thing is that we learn from it. And we evolve into better people.
These social challenges in gaming teach us what we don’t want to be in life. Great progress is being made in this arena as gaming leaders speak out and focus on creating better environments.
Gaming is reshaping social interactions by creating inclusive communities, enhancing communication skills, bridging cultural divides, and introducing innovative ways to connect and learn from each other.