For years, gaming has been seen as an antisocial activity. A lot of people still have the stereotype of a person who locks themselves away in their room, eyes glued to a screen, and has little to no social life. There may have been some truth to that in the years before the rise of multiplayer gaming; however, in 2024, this stereotype couldn’t be further from the truth. Gaming has evolved into one of the most socially engaging hobbies a person can have.

Depending on which study you want to look at, the number of gamers varies, but the average number sits right around 3 billion people worldwide, and that number is projected to hit 3.25 billion people by the end of 2024. That means roughly 38% of the world population identify themselves as gamers, and each year that number is growing.

Gaming brings people together from all walks of life. Personally, I have met people from all over the world that I never would have had the chance to encounter outside of video games. Some of these encounters have turned into lifelong friendships. In 2020, at the start of the lockdowns, I met a gamer from Switzerland. We started chatting about how life was in our respective countries, and from there, we learned about each other as people. I have played with him a few times every month since then, and over that period of time, we never even learned each other's real names but still consider each other to be close friends. To some, this may seem odd; after all, how does a friendship work when you don’t even know the name of the person you call a friend? Well, to tell you the truth, it works the same as any other friendship. We chat about our lives, interests, and whatever else we deem conversation-worthy. Friendships like this are very common among gamers. Most gamers can easily look past their differences and find common ground in a shared love of a hobby.

Not all friendships gamers have with other gamers are strictly online and often move into real-life, in-person interactions. Every year, a group of people that I met online playing a game called “Squad” plans a yearly meet-up. The tradition started in 2018 and has been going strong since. Personally, I have been unable to attend one of the annual get-togethers but plan to do so in the future. The group has been to airsoft tournaments, conventions, and even camping trips. One year the group even took a trip to Las Vegas where they all chipped in to rent a house for a weekend.

On top of making new friends through gaming in my own life, many people I know will tell you how gaming has helped reconnect friendships. My best friend from all the way back in third grade moved to Arizona shortly after graduating high school. We would always text back and forth, with the occasional phone call being made to catch up. Over this last summer, he and I started regularly playing Call of Duty together. Now we play two or three times a week and spend hours talking about anything and everything. To us, it is really no different than meeting up in person and catching up over a few drinks.

On top of all the friendships, gaming can help bring you closer to your partner, strengthening your relationship. My girlfriend had always had some level of interest in video games. She loves to play Animal Crossing on her Nintendo Switch. Over the course of this last summer, she started to take an interest in Call of Duty. If I am being honest, this came as a complete surprise to me. This was never the type of game that I even thought she would enjoy. So, we ended up buying her a brand new Xbox and a copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. We started playing together almost every day, and there is a good chance that we are playing it right now as you read this column. We found a new shared hobby to enjoy together, and it has helped both of us learn more about each other. Playing games with her is something that I look forward to every day, and I am sure she feels the same way. Even if either of us is having a bad day, at the end of it, we both get to enjoy quality time together doing something we both love. If you are looking for a way to form a deeper connection with your partner, I strongly suggest giving video games a try. Even if Call of Duty doesn’t sound appealing to you, I am confident that you can find a game that you will both enjoy.

For some people, gaming will always be stereotyped as an antisocial activity. Hopefully, from my own experiences, you can see how that is far from the truth, as my story is only one of the billions of people who have experienced situations similar to what I have. Gamers are often some of the most social people you will ever encounter. We love meeting new people who share a love for our passion. Many of those interactions form lifelong friendships. The world as we know it is becoming more and more connected, and gaming has proven to be one of the most popular ways to connect. I personally cannot think of any way that I would have met my friend from Switzerland outside of gaming. It is something that brings us together regardless of nationality, politics, religion or gender. These are things that most of us gamers are able to look past, connecting us to each other in a positive way.

How has gaming impacted your life? Let Marshall know at [email protected]. Follow The Average Gamer on Instagram @averagegamerreview.