Breaking down barriers through video games 

By: Vincent Tran 

Published on: January 12 2023

Photo: RODNAE Productions (Pexels)  

Gaming is a big part of our society and is one of the most searched and watched content on the internet. There are billions of people who actively play video games worldwide and there are many different types of games out there to keep people entertained.  

The likelihood that you’ve played video games before is quite high, whether it be on a gaming console or on your mobile phone. Gaming is ever present in our lives and it could also be used to formulate great friendships with others. 

There are many ways that gaming could help you connect with others, so here are a few different ways in which gaming can build friendships and bonds with others.  

Game with your friends 

A good way to get started with gaming is by playing video games with your friends.  

This is a great way to get to know each other and see how each other does in certain video games. You could find out if your friends are competitive or not, or you could find out what kinds of games your friends like or dislike.  

You could invite a few friends over to your house and play video games together. This is great not only for fun, but also to get to know each other. Being gathered around a game and joking around with each other is a very enjoyable experience, but video games could also give you different experiences.  

For example, you could play a horror game together, like Resident Evil, and go through that game as a group. Even though Resident Evil games are single-player, it could still be enjoyable just having a group of friends together and being thrilled and scared from the jumpscares or high pressure situations in the game.  

There are also many story-oriented games that you could play, such as It Takes Two or A Way Out. Story games are great ways to have a cooperative adventure with your friends and it will be like you are playing an interactive movie together.  

Another way to play games with your friends is by connecting and playing together online.  

Try to find a platform that you and your friends could play on. It could be on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC, or many others, and try to play together whenever you have free time. You could have a regular conversation with your friends while playing a game to occupy yourselves. This is very fun and you’ll just have a great time with each other. 

There are many different multiplayer games that you could play together, some of which are free-to-play and can supply you with plenty of hours of fun. Games such as Call of Duty: Warzone and Apex Legends are multiplayer online shooting games that have massive player counts and are better when playing with others.  

These battle royale type games are extremely fun to play with your friends and will help you work together to do well. They are also very satisfying when you end up winning and coming out on top as the last team standing.  

With gaming, the possibilities are endless and there are many different ways that you could use gaming to get to know your friends better.  

Photo: Ron Lach (Pexels)  

Connect with other gamers 

With how connected we are with the internet, it’s not too difficult to find others who may want to play video games with you. 

There are many forums and groups online from sites such as Reddit, Discord, or Facebook where you can connect with other gamers who play similar games to you. You could search online for groups for games that you’ve been playing and you might be able to find a group to join.  

If you play on PlayStation or Xbox, there are Reddit forums for you to ask questions about games or even get a group together to play with others.  

Playing multiplayer games online can also help you build relationships with others. If you’re playing a game like Call of Duty and have found a group that you enjoy playing with or have gone on to win a couple games together, try to get in contact with those other players.  

These random strangers could potentially become your gaming friends and you could regularly start playing with them more often. Try getting in contact with other gamers and you will be able to build great friendships that way.  

Gaming could become a great social platform for yourself, you just have to figure out how you want to use video games and if you’d like to play with others because there are plenty of people out there who love to play video games.  

Photo: Soumil Kumar (Pexels)  

Invest in hardware 

Gaming is a fun hobby and great way to make connections with others, but it could also become very expensive.  

If you would like to play with others, try gaming on a budget and invest in things that you would need to play with other gamers. Whether that be a microphone, headset, or something else, focus your spending into those areas rather than into the newest games.  

While playing the latest game may seem like the best option to go with, it is also quite expensive to invest in. Many people play free-to-play video games, so that could help keep your costs low. There are many different types of free-to-play games out there, so if you’re able to find one that you enjoy, that’s even better.  

There are plenty of free-to-play games that have massive followings and player bases, so try to find one that you enjoy and start building up your gaming hardware.  

Getting a headset or microphone would be a good way to start because you’ll be able to communicate with other gamers and your friends if you decide to play with them online.  

You don’t have to get the best equipment out there, just get started with the basics and start playing games on your budget because the most important thing with gaming is that you’re having fun.  

Photo: Eren Li (Pexels)  

Fun cooperative games 

There are many multiplayer cooperative games that you could play with your friends or online with other gamers.  

You could play fun, light-hearted free-to-play games such as Fall Guys, Rocket League, or many others as well.  

If you’re into sports, there are plenty of sports games that are released annually, such as the EA Sports developed games: FIFA, NHL, Madden NFL, or the basketball game NBA 2K. These games would be great to get a few of your friends over and have a good time playing against each other.  

The Nintendo Switch console is also great for family games or local multiplayer cooperative games. Games exclusively on this console include Mario Kart, Nintendo Switch Sports, Pokémon, and Animal Crossing. All of these games are great for all ages because they are simple to play, but also very enjoyable with others, especially for a game like Mario Kart, which is just a racing game, but is so much fun to play.    

You could even play well-known board games or party games online, such as Monopoly, Charades, and many more. If you and your friends can’t meet up in real life, this is a good alternative where you can play a traditional board or party game together, while not having to be in the physical presence of one another.  

Video games have become a wonderful medium of entertainment and have also become a great way to socialise with others. The things you can do with gaming are limitless and it’s entirely up to you how you want to use it to create connections with others and grow your friendships.  

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