#socialgaming

Okay, but can we talk about how gaming stopped being "just playing games" like a long time ago?😭 Because now it feels like gaming is basically its own social media universe. People aren't just gaming anymore. There are so many different ways people stay connected to gaming now🤭

Nowadays, they’re livestreaming, spending hours in Discord calls, watching Twitch streams like it’s a full-time hobby, dropping money on in-game skins, making TikTok edits and somehow getting emotionally attached to strangers screaming into a microphone during ranked matches 💀. And honestly? Sometimes people spend more time watching games than actually playing them. The Internet Turned Gaming Into a Community 🕹️ Online multiplayer didn't seem to be all that big before gaming was all about individual play. Back then, people mostly played with their siblings, cousins or friends sitting next to them on the same couch. Now everything feels connected.

Games like Valorant, Minecraft, Fortnite and League of Legends are no longer just a game. They have basically become online social spaces where people can spend hours talking, joking, arguing and making friends. Sometimes people do not even log into games because they seriously want to “win.” Let's be honest, some of the funniest chats are during games 😭.

When it comes to games such as Valorant where voice chat is half of the experience. Gaming in some way turned into a strange mix of competitiveness, friendship, and chaos. Gaming communities are social communities in which players continue to shift both within and between smaller communities in response to their interests and their experiences (Saldanha et al., 2023). And the truth is, it's so true online.

One day someone might be watching esports clips, the next day joining a Discord server, and later spending five hours queueing ranked games with strangers who somehow become online friends. Watching People Play Games Somehow Became Entertainment 📺🎧 I still think it is kind of funny that millions of people now spend hours watching other people play games online. But somehow… It feels like it makes sense.

Platforms like Twitch completely changed gaming culture. The experience of watching livestreams is quite different from watching normal videos as everything is happening in real-time. Audiences react immediately, spam emotes in the chat, clip funny moments and feel as if they were part of the stream. Sometimes streamers are not entertaining because they are exceptionally skilled at games, but because they are chaotic, funny, relatable and dramatic for absolutely no reason 😭.

A good example is streamers such as Kai Cent or Pokimane where the audience is not just watching the gameplay anymore. People usually stay for the personality, reactions and community interactions that occur around the stream.

Communities begin forming around streamers in the same way fandoms form around celebrities or TV shows. Inside jokes, memes and even streamer language eventually becomes the culture of the community. Hamilton et al. (2014) indicate that communities aren't just built around games but also streamers themselves. Honestly, I think that explains why livestreaming feels so personal compared to traditional entertainment. Gaming Communities Can Feel Like Real Friendships🤝 One thing I find really interesting is how online gaming friendships can sometimes feel surprisingly real. These people connect on Discord servers or livestream chats, on random matches and suddenly they start talking daily.

For many people, gaming communities create real emotional connections that simply happen online instead of offline According to Tausczik & Huang (2020) an online community is a “knowledge community” that is brought together by shared interests by participation and emotional investment. Players constantly help one another by sharing strategies, explaining mechanics, discussing updates and helping newer players improve.

In games like Final Fantasy XIV, players constantly share strategies, dungeon mechanics and character builds through online communities. But Gaming Spaces Are Not Always Welcoming⚠️ At the same time, gaming culture also has a darker side that people do not always talk about enough.

Gaming spaces can become extremely toxic, especially towards women, LGBTQ+ players, beginners, younger players as well as people considered “bad” at games. Sometimes people are judged immediately based only on their voice during voice chat. And honestly… Some gaming communities still act like gaming only belongs to a certain type of person. Taylor & Phillips (2026) addresses the stereotypical representation of a “gamer” as a male youth, which has historically been linked to a gaming culture dominated by men. This attitude still exists in competitive games to this day.

For example, female Valorant players sometimes receive unnecessary harassment the moment they speak in voice chat. Instead of focusing on the actual game, some players immediately become rude, dismissive or weirdly aggressive for no reason. Which honestly says a lot about how online communities can sometimes reflect real-world biases too.

However, there are many gaming communities that are slowly growing more inclusive. More creators and players are openly discussing sexism, harassment and toxicity in gaming spaces instead of pretending those issues do not exist. So gaming culture now feels a bit complicated. It can feel incredibly welcoming and incredibly toxic at the exact same time. Gaming Is Basically Digital Culture Now 🎮✨ What makes gaming so interesting now is that it no longer exists separately from internet culture. Gaming now overlaps with live streaming, fandoms, influencer culture, social media, online identity and digital communities.

Hi everyone 👋 welcome back to my blog!

In this week’s reflection, I will be discussing gaming communities, social gaming, and live streaming, with a focus on Twitch. In recent years, gaming has evolved from a solo activity into a highly social and interactive experience. Platforms such as Twitch have transformed gaming into a form of live entertainment where audiences can watch, interact, and participate in real time.

Gaming communities are groups of people who connect through shared interests in games. These communities often exist both in-game and on external platforms such as Discord, Reddit, and Twitch. Twitch in particular has become one of the most popular live streaming platforms, allowing gamers to broadcast gameplay while interacting with viewers through live chat. This creates a sense of real-time community engagement that traditional media does not offer (Hamilton et al., 2021).

A key feature of Twitch is its participatory culture. Viewers are not just passive audiences; they actively engage with streamers by commenting, donating, subscribing, and influencing gameplay decisions. This interaction strengthens the relationship between streamers and their communities and contributes to the growth of “parasocial relationships,” where viewers feel emotionally connected to content creators (Sjöblom & Hamari, 2020).

Social gaming also plays an important role in shaping online communities. Many games today are designed with multiplayer features that encourage cooperation and competition. Games such as Fortnite, Valorant, and League of Legends allow players to communicate and build relationships across different regions and cultures. This reflects the global nature of digital gaming communities.

However, there are also challenges within gaming and streaming communities. Toxic behaviour, harassment, and excessive gaming can negatively affect users’ well-being. In addition, streamers may face pressure to constantly produce content and maintain audience engagement, which can lead to stress and burnout.

From a digital citizenship perspective, it is important for users to engage responsibly in gaming communities. This includes respecting others in online spaces, managing screen time, and understanding the impact of online behaviour on both themselves and others.

Overall, Twitch and social gaming platforms demonstrate how gaming has become a social and cultural experience. These platforms highlight the growing importance of digital communities in shaping modern entertainment and communication.

Reference

Hamilton, W. A., Garretson, O., & Kerne, A. (2021). Streaming on Twitch: Fostering participatory communities of play within live mixed media. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 5(CSCW1), 1–25. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266655429_Streaming_on_twitch_Fostering_participatory_communities_of_play_within_live_mixed_media

Sjöblom, M., & Hamari, J. (2020). Why do people watch others play video games? An empirical study on the motivations of Twitch users. Computers in Human Behavior, 105, 106211. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314558810_Why_Do_People_Watch_Others_Play_Video_Games_An_Empirical_Study_on_the_Motivations_of_Twitch_Users

Board games have been a cornerstone of leisure and entertainment across various cultures for centuries. They not only serve as a means of fun but also engage players in ways that few other activities can. This article delves into the psychology behind the enduring appeal of board games, with a special focus on the classic game of Ludo. As we explore this fascinating topic, we will discover why games like Ludo continue to captivate and entertain players of all ages.

Board Game Fascination

The allure of board games transcends age, culture, and geography. From ancient times to modern-day Ludo apps that allow friends to play online on platforms like Zupee, the basic human connection facilitated through these games remains strong. Social and psychological factors play significant roles in their widespread appeal. These games often require cooperation, strategy, and a bit of competition, ingredients that are inherently compelling to the human psyche.

Understanding Ludo

Ludo, derived from the ancient Indian game Pachisi, has a rich history. Introduced to Britain in the late 19th century, it quickly became a household favorite. Today, Ludo apps make it easy for anyone to download the game and start playing with friends online, continuing its legacy. The simplicity and the random luck component of Ludo, combined with strategic decision-making, offer a balanced challenge that appeals to both young and older players alike.

The Psychological Pull

What makes board games like Ludo so engaging? Psychological aspects such as the thrill of the chase in capturing an opponent's token and the suspense of dice rolls dramatically enhance the engagement. Moreover, strategic thinking and planning ahead can give players a sense of control and accomplishment.

Nostalgia and Comfort

For many, board games like Ludo are woven into their childhood memories. Playing these games can evoke a comforting sense of nostalgia, transporting adults back to their youth and simpler times. This connection to pleasant past experiences is a powerful reason why many continue to reach for board games as their preferred form of entertainment.

Social Connection

One of the most significant aspects of playing board games is the social interaction they entail. Whether you're gathering around a physical game board or connecting via a Ludo app, the game acts as a medium for socialization, fostering bonds and enhancing relationships. The cooperative and competitive elements of these games can also serve as ice-breakers in various social settings.

Cognitive Benefits

Board games like Ludo are not just about fun; they also offer numerous cognitive benefits. Engaging in these games can improve critical thinking, boost problem-solving skills, and enhance memory. Regularly playing board games can help keep the mind sharp and agile, which is especially beneficial as one ages. You can also play ludo with friends online on platforms like Zupee & win real cash.

Emotional Engagement

The emotional highs and lows experienced during gameplay are integral to the board gaming experience. The suspense of uncertainty, the excitement of a risky move paying off, and even the disappointment of a loss are all emotionally engaging. These experiences can help players learn resilience and emotional control.

Beyond Ludo

While Ludo has its unique appeal, the world of board games is rich with variety. From strategy-heavy games like Chess and Go to modern classics like Catan and Ticket to Ride, the psychological draws of these games are as diverse as their gameplay mechanics. Each game offers a different way to challenge the mind, engage emotionally, and connect with others.

So for this week is social gaming. I like to play games and I enjoy watching people streaming their gameplays on Twitch. 

So, what is social gaming? Social gaming means a person or a group of people playing online game on a social media platform. The well-known social media platform for gaming that I know is Twitch. People uses Twitch to enjoy watching game streamers and enjoying the content they are making in it. Therefore, I have a question I want to ask. Is there risks in social gaming?

As we all know, mostly everybody can access the internet, thanks to the current technology. Since mostly everybody can access into in, there is a risk where people might trick you on buying fake stuff or scam your money. Mostly people got tricked by the advertisement of the scammers for having a great deal. People tend to compare prices when they wanted to buy a stuff, or they saw a product or service which has a very low price comparing to the market price.

A popular Twitch streamer ‘Shroud’ had his name faked by people in Twitch to scam the users of Twitch.  The scammers used his name to attract people to go inside the stream by putting the title skin giveaway. This has attracted lots of people into it because skins in games are very valuable and pricey, which the scammers used this as an advantage to lure people. It is easy for people to get lure into the trap of the scammer if that person is either new to Twitch or new to the game that they are playing. 

Since this is a problematic matter, what are the actions done?

The community members would need to help Twitch to identify the scammers and report them in order for Twitch to ban them. This is a very huge problem to other streaming platform such as YouTube because streamers tend to upload their content to YouTube, which could cause misleading for the fans. Therefore, Twitch is trying its best to maintain a strict copyright policy.

Games are often enjoyed by everyone especially the younger generations. It is even said that gaming is all about the community. In the entertainment industry, gaming was known as the fastest growing enjoyment even more than films, TV shows and others. Compared to other communities like social media, gaming communities are often known to be diverse and centred around an organisation, events, or anything game related.

There are many advantages of online gaming as gamers are able to gain experience and life skills, they are also able to connect with others online and form bonds with their teammates. Playing with other people helps them learn to cooperate with others and build confidence. They can even learn how to lead a team as the team leader of a multiplier game. Online games are also a platform used to talk about their fears and sadness in a safe way, as they do not need to be afraid to talk face to face with others but instead have a virtual space to do so. Gamers will need to use critical thinking to win a game or solve a puzzle in the games they are playing. This helps them keep their mind active and use the time to think deeply instead of doing activities what do not benefit them at all.

The gaming community is enjoyed by everyone, but there is always a bad side to everything. On of the problem is the toxic community also known as trolls. These people love to hate on others by blaming their teammates, making irritating sounds into their microphones, or the one that does not give other players chance to play their games properly, they dare to do these things because of anonymity. Anonymity means that other players do not know who the other person is and cannot track them down. Other than that, gaming can be addicting and can causes the players to forget about their health as well as spend to much money on games that they cannot afford. Some even chooses to go bankrupt just to get a new game.

black female gamers are often faced with misogynoir and overt racism in the gaming community. It really should not matter how a person look like or what gender they are when online gaming should be for fun, not to push others down. Female players often receive words like “Girls do not play games” are often thrown at women because they believe that girls belong in the kitchen and so on. The N-word is also thrown around like it is appropriate to use during games with people of colour. Girls who uses their web cams while gaming also was asked to do inappropriate things like to twerk or show them their private areas. In a 2015 study conducted, more than 66% of games experience major harassment and most of them includes racist comments and threats. 29% of gamers were said to have been doxed during an online game. 

With these in mind the gaming community is not a bad place, there is just bad people in them, gamers around the world should stand together and lift each other up instead of spreading negativity, threats and harassing others.

References

Morris. N. (2020). Black women are being targeted with ‘disgusting’ misogynoir in online gaming forums. Metro. Retrieved from https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/11/black-women-racially-abused-online-gaming-needs-stop-12359923/

Hawks. K. (2017). Top 10 problems every gamer has faced. Vocal. Retrieved from https://vocal.media/gamers/top-10-problems-every-gamer-has-faced

 https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/self-educational-effects-computer-gaming/20980

Online gaming - The benefits. (2020). internet matters. Retrieved from https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/online-gaming-advice/online-gaming-the-benefits/

Are gaming communities becoming more toxic environments for some?

Yes, I believe gaming communities are becoming more toxic environments for some. According to Reymann-Schneider (2019), women players are often verbally abused or molested online. Lovi, a 19-year-old streamer who plays Fortnight nearly every day and has hundreds of viewers who watch her and chat with her while she plays. Most of her comments that she frequently gets are insults such as, “Why are you even playing? You're a girl. You belong in the kitchen”. And the remarks have not stopped despite her growing popularity. Like most popular male streamers, she invests a lot of time in her stream and plays for hours to improve her skills. However, she still frequently receives insults from her viewers despite her skills in gaming, just because of her gender.

Besides that, people are more vulgar online. The anonymity that comes with conversing online makes people feel safe to say anything under the sun since there would be no repercussions of their words due to the hidden identities. Almost every player out there has experience in yelling at a stranger online and found it surprisingly easy. Players get invested in play and emotions run high, so swearing relentlessly at strangers is part of the package. Online games that has team-based combat as its core gameplay tends to be the biggest offenders when it comes to toxic behaviour (Plusmana 2016).

Are gaming communities becoming less about play and more about monetisation?

Yes, I believe that gaming communities becoming less about play and more about monetisation. Monetisation refers to the act of changing something into money (Cambridge Dictionary 2020). Traditionally, game monetization relied heavily on in-app purchases (IAP) and in-app ads to increase profits and often with a focus on core mobile genres. As new categories have opened up, ads are becoming the backbone for mobile game developers looking to build a viable revenue model. As a matter of fact, the hybrid approach to monetization is now considered the best way to deliver Return on Investment (ROI) (Webb 2019).

With that said, there have been a growing discussion regarding player exploitation in relation to video game monetization among members of the gaming community, for instance, the players. They are probably more aware than many outside observers that the gaming industry's use of microtransaction systems is becoming more sophisticated and generating massive revenue (King et al, 2019, p. 132). According to Markopoulos et al, (2020, p. 397), microtransactions based game monetization is one of the most common method used today by most game developers and the one with the most critical pre and post conditions to apply. Microtransactions are highly related to the player’s culture, financial ability to pay the game effectively, geographic locations, social status and much more. They are applied to large target groups in an indirect and discrete way trying not to disrupt the gameplay, the gaming ethics and the gamer’s communities.

Lists of references

King, DL, Delfabbro, PH, Gainsbury, SM, Dreier, M, Greer, N, & Billieux, J 2019, ‘Unfair play? Video games as exploitative monetized services: An examination of game patents from a consumer protection perspective’, Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 101, pp. 131-143.

Markopoulos, E, Markopoulos, P, Liumila, M , Almufti, Y, & Aggarwal, V 2020, ‘Mapping the Monetization Challenge of Gaming in Various Domains’, Advances in Human Factors in Wearable Technologies and Game Design, vol, 973, pp. 389-400.

Monetization n.d., Cambridge Dictionary, viewed 29 May 2020, <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/monetization>.

Plusmana, A 2016, Is the Gaming Community a Toxic Environment?, plus.mana, viewed 29 May 2020, <https://plusmana.com/is-the-gaming-community-a-toxic-environment/>.

Reymann-Schneider, K 2019, How to deal with a toxic gaming culture, Digital Culture, viewed 29 May 2020 <https://www.dw.com/en/how-to-deal-with-a-toxic-gaming-culture/a-50075300>.

Let me get straight to the point, social gaming is an activity or game which creates a social interaction between its players. Most importantly, social gaming is a multiplayer thing. This is because it requires at least two players and above, as the name suggests, players cannot socialize in solitude (O’Neill 2019). Social gaming can be done both offline and online, as long as it creates a form of socialization. Examples of social games include card games, board games, video games, role playing games, multiplayer online games or even alternate reality games.

Moving into our digital age world, social gaming has been increasingly popular especially after the launching of social media platforms. Take for example the most popular one, Facebook. Facebook is one of the world’s biggest gaming platforms, with its top games having millions of players online each day (Agarwal 2018). Does FarmVIlle, Café World, Mafia Wars, Happy Aquarium or even Per Society ring a bell? These social games were one of the most popular ones back in 2009.

Remember Pet Society?

I used to an avid fan of Pet Society, a social-network game developed by Playfish. Truth be told, I actually signed up for a Facebook account way before I was eligible to do so. I signed up when I was around 11 years old while the eligible age was 13. And why did I do so? It was because of Pet Society. Watching my elder sister play made me want to be part of the game, the society as well, and that’s how I started creating my own account and owning my own pet. I had friends that were playing as well and we would send each other gifts, visit each other’s houses and interact with each other’s pets. Besides only interacting with my Facebook friends, I could also interact with other Pet Society players via the Pet Society Café. The Café is both a store and a social bonding hub where you could buy things or visit some random player’s houses and their pets. This is where you can meet other players around the world, make and add new friends or even leave them a personal note. I remember spending a huge amount of time playing Pet Society, trying hard every day to earn coins, earn experience points, visit other pets, decorate the house, cloth the pet and etc. However, this game addiction over Pet Society came to a stop when the game officially ended in June 2013 (Maiberg 2013).

Careful with the Social Gaming Addiction

Social gaming can be fun and all, but let’s face it, there’s always a flip side to everything. For the next part I will be touching on social gaming addiction and addressing how severe it can get if overlooked.

I’ll be using PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) as my example. It is multiplayer online shooting game which is very much inspired by the Hunger Games series and Battle Royale (Stuart 2018). It drops 100 players at a time into an enclosed space where they have to scavenge for weapons and other resources then try to kill each other and be the last player standing. To date, PUBG is increasingly popular and has already been downloaded over 100 million times on Google Play Store (Bhattacharya & Singh 2018). It has also been said to have crossed over to become almost a social communication channel. This is because players opt to utilize the in-app communication channel to not only communicate about things regarding the game, but also real life things that are not related to the game at all.

It may seem as a great way to socialize and interact, but it has also created severe cases of addiction and even death. A single game takes a minimum of half an hour and one could not possibly stop at just one game (How does PubG affect your life in real? 2018). It is extremely addictive and leaves the players wanting more, making them spend countless hours on the game.

There is also a case whereby a mother has blamed the death of her 13 year old son on PUBG. Her son was reportedly playing PUBG right before plunging to his death off a fourth-floor flat. He was trying to see if he could survive the fall alike that of the characters in PUBG (Cheng 2018).

All in all, I believe that social gaming, yes, it can bring positive impacts but only if it is played with moderation. Otherwise, the negative impacts are just way too scary to even imagine.

References:

O’Neill, N 2008, What Exactly are Social Games? Adweek.com, viewed 21 May 2019, <https://www.adweek.com/digital/social-games/>

Agarwal, R 2018, Top 23 Best Facebook Games of 2019, Beebom, viewed 21 May 2019, <https://beebom.com/best-facebook-games/>

Maiberg, E 2013, EA shuts down Sim City Social, The Sims Social and Pet Society June 14, Adweek.com, viewed 21 May 2019, <https://www.adweek.com/digital/ea-shuts-down-sim-city-social-the-sims-social-and-pet-society-june-14/>

Stuart, K 2018, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds – nihilistic, violent and the perfect game for our era, The Guardian, viewed 21 May 2019, < https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/jan/22/player-unknowns-battlegrounds-pubg-battle-royale>

Bhattacharya, A & Singh, K 2018, Charted: India’s obsession with Chinese online game PUBG, Quartz India, viewed 21 May 2019, < https://qz.com/india/1489469/tencents-pubg-is-driving-indian-gamers-crazy/>

How does PubG affect your life in real? 2018, Homeopathy Recovery, viewed 21 May 2019, <http://homeopathyrecovery.com/how-does-pubg-affect-your-life/>

In the trend-following society this days, it is so common for people to be exposed to all kinds of social gaming activities despite whether are you one of the digital gaming players or not. The game of Pokemon series video games published by Nintendo has recently came out with its latest release known as Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon in the year 2017, which has caused an obvious impact socially among people. This social gaming has not only brought an addiction to current players, but has also shown a great influence on attracting non-players of social gaming to try it out. Pokemon being well-known as a cartoon series itself has not just only bring impact on children and teenagers, but its social game has also a large number of players from individuals of all ages and demographic sectors.

Not surprised at all, social gaming has become an important element of digital lifestyle activities to most individuals in this era. However, it is believed that most of us has never come across the question such as what the social impacts of social gaming to the people are. Does social gaming bring more of a benefit or does it create more harm to the community as a whole? No doubt, it is being said that video games or social gaming has become a catalyst of change in social wise where it is generally preparing players to emotionally deal with certain realities that brings heavy impact to the individuals themselves. This may include cyber bullying (that even leads to physical bullying), love and relationship problems, suicide as well as bridging certain gaps in life (Sloat 2016).

How often is it normal for people to have the thinking that all digital game players are anti-social and living in their own world away from the reality? Well, this is a rather mainstream mind-set among most of us. Based on a scientific research carried out on students, it is proved that addicted game players have lower social skills in comparison with the non-addicted game players. It is also stated that social games might be able to fulfil or satisfy needs of social interactions done online among the players which will then lead to physical social isolation. Definitely, physical social isolation with people and loneliness will cause a person to never improve on his or her individual’s social skills (Zamani et. al. 2010, p. 63).

To look at the bright side, social gaming can build up cognitive development among players. Most social and digital gaming require mental rotation abilities, speedy and accurate attention allocation, and also higher spatial resolution in terms of visual processing. Therefore, cognitive advantages of social gaming improve attention functioning, generates neural processing and helps in recognition of pattern (Vitelli 2014).

Similar to many other aspects, social gaming has its pros and cons at the same time. Self-discipline might be the key to control one’s addiction towards this digitalize world of social gaming.

List of References

Sloat, S 2016, The social impact of video games, Inverse, viewed 17 November 2018, <https://www.inverse.com/article/17065-how-next-generation-video-games-will-teach-us-to-think-beyond-player-number-one>.

Vitelli, R 2014, Are there benefits in playing video games?, Psychology Today, viewed 17 November 2018, <https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-spotlight/201402/are-there-benefits-in-playing-video-games>.