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Supporto Messoanuovo
21 Jun, 2022

Socializing through gaming, like online gaming, allows us to meet people from all over the world.

Socializing through gaming seemed like a pipe dream until just a few years ago. One of the biggest criticisms that was in fact made to those who played on the computer or with one

game console was that of isolating oneself. Locking yourself in the house without knowing anyone, without chatting or hanging out with people.

A criticism of the past, which we can now erase thanks to the potential of the internet and Social Gaming .

Socializing through gaming, what does it mean?

Many online games, both for computers and game consoles, now allow complete interaction with other players.

It all started with the first war games, where players could coordinate in order to execute certain strategies and tactics.

From there, the diffusion then became massive, with many games supporting a social gaming mode that has become increasingly common.

Social Gaming

A diffusion that was immediately explosive and immediate and which led to the creation of avatars, virtual characters, communities and forum-style areas within the game itself.

Social Gaming has therefore become an opportunity for meetings lasting just a few minutes, such as those of a game or acquaintances that last, thanks to lists of favorites, user names, notifications and other parallel contact systems.

Socializing with gaming, tools

Online Gaming has therefore become normality, thanks to a diffusion also facilitated by the simplicity of joining these communities.

To start social gaming, all you need is the console (or computer) and the game you are playing, combined with a good network connection (often already necessary and considered given that gaming is increasingly online) to which you can add an apparatus consisting of headphones and microphone.

A simple hardware, available for every price range and which allows an interaction never tried before.

The advantages of social gaming

Getting to know each other while playing has several undisputed advantages:

Gaming is no longer a solitary activity

Interest is added to the game thanks to the possible interactions and possible special modes

We meet people from all over the world, allowing us to broaden our network of acquaintances and come into contact with other cultures

International social gaming allows you to keep your English level trained

In addition to many advantages, there are obviously also some disadvantages, which are the usual ones that apply to all virtual interactions.

Socializing with gaming, the disadvantages

Especially in the first interactions with other users it is necessary to pay attention to what we decide to share and let people know.

The user we are interacting with may in fact not be the person he says he is and may be lying about much, if not all, of the information he gives us; from gender to age, from origin to his true intentions.

The presence of a "monitor in the middle" is in fact a useful filter but which in certain cases can become a mask.

The other disadvantage is the need for the right console, PC or computing device, given that today among the various online gaming communities, some are dedicated to owners of a specific gaming console.

The reasons for this success

There are many reasons that have led to the rapid spread of this phenomenon. Surely, we cannot fail to consider the limitations given by the coronavirus and its lockdown and distancing rules, factors that have led to the digitalisation of many habits and hobbies.

But it's not just this, it's also the convenience of not having to leave home, travel and prepare only to end up attending the small community "at your fingertips".

Globalization has arrived and what once seemed unthinkable is now reality. You can meet and play a game with people on the other side of the world without any effort.

Closing yourself at home to play no longer means isolating yourself from the world, but trying to reach it in its entirety.

A change that is destined to remain and develop further and which explains very well the diffusion and interest on the part of the giants of online services for those worlds that are normally known by the name of Metaversi.

Social Gaming platforms

We find many "generic" platforms that allow you to socialize through gaming , to these, which are just some of the most famous, there are also dedicated platforms integrated into the game itself, as happens for example in Roblox.

Here are some of the most famous social gaming platforms.

Twitch: live streaming platform initially designed for games, it quickly expanded to sports and esports

Discord: This is a platform, a generic server that can be used for any type of topic or category. Discord has been chosen as a base by many gaming communities who wanted to create independent communities dedicated to a certain interest

YouTube Gaming: dedicated version of the most famous video platform in the world, allows users to watch live players and chat

Facebook Gaming: as with the previous entry, it is a "sub-platform" dedicated to gaming and interaction between players

PlayStation: all modern PlayStations can interact with the dedicated server designed for this purpose.

Xbox Live: this too, like the previous one, is a community reserved for owners of the console of the same name. After registration you can share game status, screenshots and interact in chat with other users

Nintendo: this console manufacturer has also thought of a dedicated chat that can be accessed via the console itself. The result is a chat that vaguely resembles Twitter and works more or less in the same way

Steam: The computer side's answer to exclusive platforms for console owners is Steam. On this platform you can choose and download games but also chat with other users.

Social Gaming is not just a passing fad, but a phenomenon destined to last and grow over time, as demonstrated by the great success of the virtual worlds of the metaverse.