How Video Games Can Make Us More Social Than Ever
Let’s be honest: it’s hard to find the motivation to regularly talk to and interact with friends and family. We just don’t like talking about ourselves or our day if we feel like we haven’t accomplished anything. Although a virtual screen has enabled us to become more connected than ever, the pandemic has made it much easier to unplug our social lives and to distance ourselves from the people we are closest to. Maintaining social relationships often feels impossible when being told to maintain social distance. Texting doesn’t feel the same when we can’t plan for anything and when meeting virtually, we can’t help but talk about pre-quarantine and how awful isolation is.
Although the situation may seem impossible, playing games virtually is a good way to support social needs while creating a base for conversation. Our need for human interaction may be severe, but after months of being isolated it is understandable if our social skills are lacking. Mark Griffiths recently wrote about this topic in his article “Coronavirus: making friends through online video games”, which talks about socializing without going “outside the moment.” He states, “One of the most significant findings is that 63% of gamers play with others and that many players get social support from the gaming communities that they are in. Other research has shown that there appears to be no difference in general friendships between gamers and non-gamers and that the more time you play, the more likely you are to form friendships online.”
Many people have flocked to video games as a way to maintain some sort of connection outside of a virtual chatroom. Instead of staring at a screen and talking, people can partake in multiplayer games, work towards a shared goal, and have a common topic to chat about. Games can produce themes of conversation because everyone is participating within the same space. Different games can spark a conversation other than repeatedly discussing the world pre-COVID. As Griffiths says, gamers can avoid going “outside the moment,” by residing within the same social space or task of the game while interacting and talking with one another.
Video games are not a replacement for in-person interactions, but they can help alleviate the lack of in-person interaction during a time where there is not much else to do. If you find yourself, your partner, or your kids constantly playing games online, it is important to not react too negatively towards it. In his article “Don’t Feel Bad if your Kids Are Gaming More Than Ever. In Fact, Why Not Join Them?” Sean Gregory explains that video games have been his and his sons' replacement for watching basketball. Video games can similarly be a good replacement for typical shared activities that are not possible during a pandemic. There is a need to make time for play even if it exceeds the “Screen time” household rules. Playing games can be a time set aside to spend with people you want to maintain relationships with.
Playing video games is more popular than ever. “Gaming was up 75% in the first week of mass self-isolation alone,” Verizon says. “The supply of Nintendo Switch consoles, a popular choice for families, kids, and casual gamers, can’t keep up with demand.” Video games should not be cast aside as simply a way to escape the outside world. It is now more important than ever to find outlets friends and family can share without feeling guilty. Because, really, what else is there to do right now? It is important to not beat yourself up over watching too much Netflix or not accomplishing anything in a given day. Even if beating the final boss with your friends is your only task for the day, being able to connect and recharge with loved ones is an accomplishment in itself.
Sources
HTTPS://THECONVERSATION.COM/CORONAVIRUS-MAKING-FRIENDS-THROUGH-ONLINE-VIDEO-GAMES-134459
HTTPS://TIME.COM/5825214/VIDEO-GAMES-SCREEN-TIME-PARENTING-CORONAVIRUS/