Meet You In The Video Game
How Social Gaming is Becoming a Globally Accessible ‘Third Place’
Culture looks completely different now than it did just a few years ago. Books, magazines, television and movies have been cast aside in favor of TikTok and YouTube, where a wave of new faces have become celebrities. Meanwhile, social video games have become the modern-day equivalent of the community center. Video games, once considered a form of solitary entertainment, have become 'third places' where people socialize. These changes are ushering in a new era of cultural consumption–away from traditional media and physical spaces and into content made for extremely short attention spans and virtual worlds that are accessible from anyplace on the planet. We are witnessing the formation of a new, global culture, unfolding rapidly and in real time.
“Social media has been a steroid for reality television, turning suburban teenagers into ‘influencers,’ B-listers into millionaires, and the attention economy has turned game show hosts and comedy actors into presidents. There is real upside in the reshaping of the attention supply chain.”
This change is pervasive. Just as we no longer label people as 'computer users' or 'smartphone users,’ it will soon be unnecessary to classify people as 'gamers' since gaming has become an intrinsic part of everybody’s everyday life. Gaming has evolved from a niche hobby to a universal language and a set of shared experiences that are defining a new, global culture.
Amidst animated settings, role-playing and shooting sequences, people are doing pretty everyday things in these video game worlds—things like sharing advice, trading gossip and discussing current events. Most importantly, they are building authentic relationships and real communities–even though they may never intend to meet these online friends in real life.
While it may feel impersonal to have pixelated friendships across vast distances, several years of remote work have taught us all that social connection can flourish even without physical proximity. Video games can transcend geographical boundaries–and the global communities forming inside them can feel almost as tight-knit as they would if the communities were congregating in a neighborhood bar. These virtual 'third places' also have the power to unite people of diverse backgrounds, fostering empathy and bridging historical social divides.
If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to explore this new frontier with an open mind.
