Gaming fosters social connection at a time of physical distance
Gaming fosters social connection at a time of physical distance
Gaming fosters social connection at a time of physical distance
By Andrew M. Phelps
April 13, 2020
Summary
Recent news coverage has noted World Health Organization support of gaming as a way to escape from the daily reality of exponential curves and tragic news stories.
This narrative reflects rapid change in how gaming is perceived.
Games have always been social, from the first multiplayer board game in ancient Egypt to the installation of Pong! in a bar in Sunnyvale, California, to the arcades and neighborhood gatherings of the 1980s.
The free game Call of Duty: Warzone One has spiked in terms of online multiplayer activity, drawing more than 15 million players online within days of its release.
It's the reason the industry is rallying around #PlayApartTogether, a promotion organized by gaming companies on behalf of the WHO that has gained more than 4.7 billion consumer media impressions worldwide.
Several colleagues are pursuing active research into how games are helping people cope in this time of stress and panic, how they are sharing information, and how their interaction with games is a tool for social survival.
Australian charity CheckPoint, which provides mental health resources for gamers and the gaming community, is gathering stories of online connections during social isolation.
They suggest gamers create an "Interactive story" on their social media timeline, reach out to gamers they've lost touch with or try board games via an online tabletop simulator.
Longer term, games can help more young people engage in science, technology, arts or maths careers or studies, and even engage both patients and doctors in research on health and well-being in new ways.
COVID-19 may be the turning point when the world realises playing video games is potentially a form of empowerment that brings people together to solve real world problems.
Reference
Phelps, A. (2020, May 07). Gaming fosters social connection at a time of physical distance. Retrieved May 22, 2020, from https://theconversation.com/gaming-fosters-social-connection-at-a-time-of-physical-distance-135809