The Real Social Connector: How Gaming Drives Community, Authenticity and Engagement

Overview

Gaming is an inherently social activity. It is an experience made for sharing, whether through multiplayer gameplay, watching others play, or discussing strategies, achievements, and opinions. 

As gaming’s accessibility and popularity have increased, so has its role as a social connector. Previously, it was physical gaming arcades that served as the meeting places for gaming fans, but today much of it takes place virtually, both within the games themselves and outside of them through online forums and communities. 

And the desire for authentic connection has never been stronger.

Understanding how gaming fosters community amongst those who play presents opportunities for meaningful engagement in an interactive and highly social environment.

This report uncovers why people play and how gaming’s social elements heighten these feelings across different game modes, genres, and formats. It also explores the connections people form outside of the game, and how this further enhances the gameplay experience.

Gaming’s fandom and its ability to build and enhance bonds - between friends, family and strangers - is like no other medium. Gaming puts the audience first, giving them unique control over their playing experience depending on mood and occasion. It drives connections between people, uniting them through shared interactions, passion and achievements.

Takeaways

1. Gaming delivers positivity in a social world

2. Gaming supercharges social bonds

3. Gaming puts players in control of how they connect

4. Gaming fandom fosters friendships online

Please note reports are currently available in English only.

Research Methodology

Activision Blizzard Media partnered with Toluna Insights for an online quantitative survey of 4000 people across the US and UK; this work is based on 2000 responses from the US.

All respondents are aged 18-64 and are active users of video games/gaming media as well as social media. Activision Blizzard Media also partnered with Michele Madansky Consulting to interview 18 people in the US, both in-person and virtual, to discuss the role of gaming in their lives and their own experiences gaming socially.

About Activision Blizzard Media

Activision Blizzard Media Ltd is the gateway for brands to the leading interactive entertainment company with hundreds of millions of monthly active users around the world.

Our legendary portfolio includes iconic mobile game franchises such as Candy Crush™, esports like the Call of Duty League™, the Overwatch League™, and some of the top PC and console gaming franchises such as Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, and StarCraft®. The idea is simple: great game experiences offer great marketing experiences.

Learn more at https://www.activisionblizzardmedia.com/ad-solutions