Case studies show that 70% of “gamers” eventually develop new friends as a result of their enjoyment of multiplayer video games, whether they are played in pairs or teams “online.”
In Spain, PcComponentes conducted its “II X-Ray of Gaming,” the findings of which were made public on July 30 in honor of the international friendship day, which has been observed annually since 2011 and was established by the United Nations Organization (UN) more than ten years ago.
According to a press release given to Europa Press, this study by the technology “e-commerce” aims to value the significant social component that video games have acquired as a result of the expanding trend of the “online” modality.
Despite the widespread perception that playing video games can encourage isolation and loneliness, 69.9% of players said that they have occasionally made new acquaintances as a result of their hobby.
The Brand&Comms Manager of PcComponentes, Alicia Vicente, stated that “video games have a beneficial impact on people (…) They are one more resource to meet new people with common interests and have a more social leisure.”
This study found that gamers between the ages of 14 and 23 are most likely to foster friendships through gaming.
So much so that, according to the survey, 91.7 percent of respondents—well above the national average for all ages—say they have met new acquaintances while playing multiplayer games “online.”