Ranking Up Together: Creating a Community through Online Gaming (Brandon)
The gaming world has evolved into a version that nobody ever saw coming when online gaming first became a thing. In the beginning, people used to go to the arcade or to a friend’s house to meet up and play games together. Gamers no longer need to go to an arcade (if they can even find one anymore) or get together to play games together. Now, we can play with our friends from the comfort of our own homes.
It's grown from more than just merely playing video games with your friends, however. We live in an age where apps like Discord and Reddit exist, where people can connect with others and converse about their favorite games and even add each other to play their favorite games together. By doing this, they can not only play games together but also create beautiful relationships that can lead to incredible communities.
Games for Communities: MMOs
Now, not all games are capable of building strong gaming communities. Most of the time, it’s games in the massive multiplayer online (MMO) genre bring gamers together to form a community. Some popular examples of MMOs are Elder Scrolls Online and World of Warcraft, and there are many more. MMOs are not a new type of genre either. Games like Neverwinter Nights and Meridian 59 were two MMOs released in the 1990s! Then, in the 2000s, a lot more MMO games started popping up, like World of Warcraft, Wizard 101, and Club Penguin.
These games were doing much more than just being a fun way to pass the time; they were bringing people together in ways many didn’t think would ever be possible. People were making friends with other players online. They would meet up in the game, talk about quests, discuss equipment, and give each other tips on how to get better at the game. There’s no better way to bond in a game than teaming up with fellow gamers to take on a very difficult boss. In my experience, failing the boss fight over and over with the same group of players just to finally prevail on your 20th attempt is much more effective at creating a bond than if you were all able to defeat it on your first attempt. I mean, where’s the fun in that? That’s not merely defeating a boss with random people. That is sometimes the beginning of a lifelong friendship.
Other Games
Of course, MMOs are not the only games that have brought people together to form online communities. Games like Call of Duty, Fortnite, Valorant, Dead By Daylight, and Overwatch have brought millions of players together. People typically play more than one game; they will connect with each other and play more games that they have in common. These games require strong teamwork and communication, which are elements required to build strong communities.
Discord, Reddit, and More
Platforms like Discord and Reddit have been helping the gaming community evolve for years! People often join these apps to meet others who share their interest in specific topics. Most of the time, it’s much easier to find someone who shares your interest online than it is in real life; this is where Discord and Reddit come in. They bring people together to talk about strategies, game appreciation, issues, and basically anything related to the game! Discord even takes it a step further and allows you to create text channels in servers, specifying topics either about the games or just friendly chit-chat!
People host/attend Discord servers where they can contribute and strengthen bonds or make new friends. People will even come to Discord servers to talk about their real-life problems and seek support from their community members. These types of scenarios are becoming increasingly more common, especially after COVID resulted in people using the internet more than ever before.
Conclusion
Online gaming communities are constantly on the rise, with no sign of slowing down anytime soon. You never know who you’ll meet in an online game or what kind of community you’ll end up becoming a part of in the long run, just from matches in games that encourage teamwork. There are even roleplay communities that are very active in games like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption 2. Many types of communities can be found in gaming that extend across the globe, just waiting to be explored.
If you are looking to join an online community, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Letters Against Depression if you haven’t already. We send letters of hope and support to those who need someone there for them. You can request to receive letters here.