The Digital Playground: Why Online Games Are Becoming the New Social Hubs

The social aspect of the internet has always been one of its most captivating features. Once dominated by bulletin board systems, this space evolved alongside the internet, eventually becoming almost unrecognizable from its roots. Today, online gaming experiences are increasingly playing the part of social hubs, but why is this, and how did we get here?

The Journey Here

To a large extent, the most popular social spaces on the internet reflect the options easily available at the time. When bulletin board systems were the height of what was possible, they reigned supreme. When chat programs like AIM and MSN Messenger streamlined friend chat, they were the most successful. Now, with gaming so widespread and easily accessible, the different titles in this space act as a home for many.

“Windows Live Messenger 8.5 BETA” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by twenty5pics

The actual form that gaming experiences take as social hubs varies, with different age groups tending towards different experiences. Adults, for example, are more likely to use iGaming services as their hubs, such as with these online slots for NZ players. Here players can jump into titles like Chilli Heat and Book of Dead while comparing progress, sharing in jackpot celebrations, chatting, and screen sharing. Since these essentially mirror the social fun of physical casinos with the improved convenience of online systems, they’re a continually popular choice.

Why Does Gaming Succeed?

Gaming spaces have found success as social hubs by creating an open environment in which people can meet and hang out, with a high level of customization aiding the experience. In many ways, this mirrors traditional social spaces, only with greater control available through digital means. In the online space, you can be as active or disengaged as you like, so you can avoid being overwhelmed or left out as is possible in physical spaces.

Many games are also tailored to help new players become friendly through cooperative and collaborative experiences. In some games, this might happen through natural gameplay, like if you’re contributing to wiping out the alien menace or collecting gold to build a new castle. In other games, custom servers designed entirely just for fun and messing around with no real goal help players first connect through their avatar’s actions. This can lead to spontaneous comedy or random activities, which in turn foster accidental friendships.

Today, an increasing number of games are designed with the understanding of the importance of social hubs. Many titles built with social connectivity include a dedicated hub area that capitalizes on this experience, with players being able to check out each other’s gear, engage in casual minigames, or visit customized player housing. At their core, these systems continue the framework that was laid out generations ago with BBS and chat systems, only with an added layer of visual flair and expression on top.

Digital games today understand that gaming spaces are more than a way to directly engage in purposeful goals, they’re a way to hang out that gels perfectly with our busy modern lives. They capture the spirit of traditional social action, make it more convenient, and allow us more granular control. Social gaming hubs won’t ever take over the importance of physical spaces, but they still play an important part and will continue to do so in the years to come.