Back in 2018, The Verge published a feature about the game Fortnite. The popular tech site called it ‘a new kind of social network’, having transformed the concept of hanging out online into something even more significant: partaking in a shared passion with thousands, even millions, of people around the world. In other words, Fortnite (and video games in general) have become a social space for today’s generation.
This social aspect is one of the main reasons not to worry too much about playing video games, according to video game journalist Emily Gera in an op-ed about gaming. After all, it gives people another avenue to interact with one another, as opposed to the traditional, in-person meet-ups. Contrary to popular belief, that’s a good thing. This is because it brings together young people from all around the world, getting over the long-distance barrier that previous generations had to face before, and opening people up to new cultures and even languages.
Many of today’s most popular games, in fact, are designed for socialising. This is an observation shared by social worker and lifelong gamer Andrew Fishman in his Psychology Today article on video games being social spaces. Games like Fortnite and Defense of the Ancients (DoTA) encourage communication, primarily by exchanging both task-oriented messages (e.g., ‘Attack’, ‘Take cover’, etc.) and socioemotional messages (e.g., ‘Thanks for the help’, Good job’, etc.). The latter form of messaging, in particular, is vital to socialisation, as it helps players connect with one another. Having said that, notice how the same dynamic — the constant communication, the continuous interaction — is at play when friends play any game, whether it be a traditional game like Super Mario, a table top game such as Monopoly, or even a card game like poker.
Ultimately, though, modern gaming’s social aspect is now most apparent in online games. Even traditional games that are inherently social, like poker, are now providing these hi-tech social spaces via online gaming. Yahoo’s review of progressive gaming giant PPPoker explains how the company has tapped into this social aspect by letting players set up their own virtual games so they can play poker against friends, or against likeminded players, from all around the world. It is, essentially, all about creating an online club (or an even bigger union of different clubs) that serves as the social space to everyone invited. And like PPPoker, many social online games also have a strong social network presence where players can connect. Like DoTA and Fortnite, this creates a social haven where players can freely interact with one another while enjoying a passion they share amongst themselves. That, in the end, is what the social aspect of gaming really is about.
Moving forward, it’s safe to say that we can expect games to remain avenues of socialisation. The expected full rollout of 5G beginning this 2020 will mean faster, more reliable internet. This, in turn, will better connect people online, and enable new, more exciting experiences, even beyond the world of gaming. That will certainly be good news to today’s generation, whose idea of socialising is now mainly through online channels.
In the world of digital entertainment, games are more than just a pastime, they are also a powerful social tool that allows players from all over the world to connect through common interests and challenges. Custom Enamel Pins, as an important extension of the social nature of games, are not only a visual reward but also a symbol of players’ social interaction and achievement. Players can design their favorite game characters on pins as a collection, or give pins as gifts to friends who like to play games. In short, the combination of pins products and the social nature of games not only enriches the players’ gaming experience but also strengthens the social ties between players.
