Playing Games Online has Become an Important Social Lifeline
Playing video interactive games, and later computer games, has been a big part of people's lives since the early 1970s, with the introduction of Pong and gaming consoles (such as the Magnavox). But games have come a long way since those early days. People of all ages are now playing online games all over the world.
According to the BBC, while many people think of gamers as people who sit alone on their couches and are anonymous to other players, the opposite is actually true. The rise in popularity of video games, particularly among Generation Z, has resulted in the formation of communities and friendships among players. During these times of social distancing and lockdowns, these connections have become a social lifeline.
While TV and Netflix help people pass the time, there is no interaction between people like there is in gaming, and the amount of time people spend playing has increased significantly during the pandemic. According to a Limelight Networks report on online gaming, gamers in the United States now spend an average of 6 hours and 46 minutes per week playing. And the figures continue to rise.
According to the BBC, Twitch, an Amazon-owned platform where people can watch other people play video games in real time webcasts and chat with other viewers, clocked 5 billion hours of viewed content in the second quarter of 2020. This was an 83 percent increase over the previous year and a new high.
However, the rise in gaming is about far more than just entertainment. “This isn't just boredom; it's an innate desire to be social. “New gaming capabilities enable people to interact virtually with one another,” said Nigel Burmeister, vice president of Limelight Networks, to USA Today. This is due to the fact that humans are hardwired to be social, and human contact is essential for our mental health.
Rosemary “Nekkra” Kelley, a 25-year-old gamer, told USA Today that she is spending more time playing games because her work has been cut back due to the cancellation of live events. She has been playing Pokémon Sword and Animal Crossings on her Nintendo Switch in her newfound spare time.
The fifth title in the Animal Crossing series, New Horizons, a nonlinear life simulation game, was released on November 20, 2020, and has outsold all other Nintendo Switch titles. Kelley stated that the new titles provided her with something to look forward to.
This game was so well received that it sold 5 million digital copies in its first month. Lin Zhu, a graduate student in psychology at the State University of New York at Albany, published a paper about New Horizons and the coronavirus pandemic in the journal Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies.
She came to the conclusion that the video game provided spiritual comfort and sustenance to its players. The ongoing social interaction between the players – old and new – was a relaxing and enjoyable way to stay connected, and it aids in "getting rid of the loneliness caused by social isolation."
Gamers are in agreement. “Without this community of people I can communicate with on a regular basis, I wouldn't be able to get through my own self-quarantining. That includes everything from playing games with them to simply chatting about what's going on,” Kelley told USA Today.
Video games are also used in educational settings. Due to the pandemic, an elementary school in Japan held a virtual graduation on Minecraft instead of an in-person ceremony. So, if you're feeling lonely or isolated, pick up a game controller, a portable device, or turn on your computer and create a new community of friends.
Read next: 5 Two-Player Games for the Game-Loving Pair
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