The friendships that are created on online networks can be decisive for the development of the social skills of adolescents.
Parents always start by telling their children ‘Do not talk to any strangers’ as soon as they can make sense of words, but is this advice applicable in the virtual world?
Although parents often discourage their children from talking to people they don’t know online, they derive benefits from these types of interactions. For example, players who chat while playing online video games report having better friendships than those who play alone, making them less vulnerable to the negative and potentially long-term repercussions of staying alone such as unemployment and poor mental health.
Now, let’s find out in detail why gaming friendships are as good as offline ones. Check out the below advantages of making friends with fellow online gamers.
Mixing games and online chat rooms are not a new concept, but its growth seems endless, as new games and updates are released every week or month. And if you’re a gaming enthusiast, you already know what you like to play. However, if you are new to this world, you may be wondering, what are the advantages of online games in regards to meeting people and making new friends.
Creating new friendships
One of the best features of online chat games is that people can make new friends relatively easily and in a stress-free environment. When you play one of these online games, you know that there is one thing that you have in common with the rest of the players: the game itself.
Therefore, you can use it to meet people and make contacts. These connections will allow you to develop online relationships based on a common interest in the game. Each game offers its own unique culture for people to dive into, opening doors to meet people from all over the world.
In fact, it was gaming that brought the three founding members of FULLSYNC together. We all first met working for another gaming outlet and happened to all get access to the beta of Destiny. From there, our friendship blossomed, and the seed was planted for FULLSYNC, which as you can see has bloomed into something much more than your stereotypical gaming website. Plus it meant a ready-made fireteam for Destiny 2.
Teamwork
If you are going to develop friendships in the game through online chat, you will also be able to have fun with the people you meet and work as a team within the game itself. This teamwork is not only a fantastic skill for your daily life, but it can also make the gaming experience much more fun.
By exchanging information with others, you will not only get better at the game, but you will also develop better personal connections and social interactions with your new friends, knowing that you can help each other in that common interest that you share: the game. In this way, online games are a fantastic option to expand your friendships and develop skills of cooperation and teamwork.
Immersive entertainment
Sometimes, gamers get addicted to online gaming, and there is a good reason for it. The games themselves are not only extremely fun and immersive, but the bonus of chat and the ability to make new friendships makes players want to come back to interact and help their companions.
Satisfaction
Online games also have an intrinsic satisfying character. Most players have a great time getting past certain points in the game and moving on. Getting something in a game after a lot of effort and hard work can be exciting and satisfying. And being able to share it with people who can genuinely relate to the experience and emotions only makes it better.
Making friends online is easy
That the world today is actually much more dangerous than it was a few years ago is arguable, but there is no doubt that modern-era parents are more attentive than their parents. Although it may seem unlikely that it is possible to make real friendships through digital platforms or chat applications, online games are still a simple way to meet people with similar interests with whom you can share your experiences and opinions.
You just have to choose the categories or games that interest you the most and enter into the world of gaming where you can make countless friends. And it usually happens naturally and easily without any feelings of awkwardness that are sometimes present in the real world.
Boost your confidence
Socially awkward or shy teens and kids often benefit significantly from building friends online through games. They may be hesitant to talk face-to-face for fear of criticism or rejection, factors that are minimized on online platforms.
People tend to share things with their virtual friends that may be embarrassing to admit to their real-life acquaintances. But part of building a great friendship is being honest with others, so if you’re not being completely sincere with the people you’re meeting, slowly share the details of your life with people you know and trust.
Communication at any time
When you’re up in the middle of the night worrying about bills or your teenage offspring, you might be tempted to call your best friend for a chat, but doing it too often can put a strain on your friendship. That’s where virtual friends can give you great support.
Although the initial idea of talking to people online with whom you have never been physically close can be alarming, most of the time there is no reason to worry as you can check the details of any unknown person online. For example, use Nuwber to look up your new online friend and see if such a person exists. Doing so will help you ensure that you are talking to an authentic person and not a scammer.
There are many people on the other side of the screen that you can have a great connection with, and many have found some of their best friends that way.
The internet has brought us some wonderful things: communities, video games, and streaming content, to name a few. Now it’s easier than ever to find people who share the same interests as you, leading to meeting more virtual friends.
This is especially beneficial if you talk to virtual friends as a way to meet needs that friends around you can’t meet, such as chatting during off-hours or sharing common interests. Online friends through gaming can be a source of feedback and support in a different way than your close friends in real life.
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