When some players verbally abuse, attack, or gang up on others, it can cause the targets of this abuse to stop playing entirely. Managing a community around a game title brings its own set of challenges, with the primary one being how to prevent or mitigate toxic behavior. But that places a greater responsibility on developers, platforms, and other members of the games ecosystem to encourage and enable positive interactions. More than half of the players we surveyed belong to some form of game-related community, and three quarters of them rate it as an important part of their game experience. This in-game dialogue often leads to friendships and connections that extend to social media, in-person interactions, messaging apps, game forums, and much more.
In-game, players communicate with each other using text (41%) or voice chat (32%). In our research, nearly 40% of players say that the opportunity to interact with family and friends is what keeps them playing. For developers, building a healthy community around a game is one of the best ways to improve engagement and retention. Forming friendships in game communities can aid in social and cognitive development for younger players, while helping older players feel less lonely or isolated. As we saw during the height of the pandemic lock down, it became an important way for distant friends and family to stay in touch.īut community is important for other reasons as well.
Games have always centered around connecting with other players. Whether you engage in monthly game nights with friends and family, or you spend hours each week logged into complex multiplayer worlds, you share a key thing in common with your fellow players: a sense of community. Playing games is a fundamental part of being human. Why fostering positive and inclusive game communities is vital to your game’s success
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