Culture is the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place or time (Merriam Webster, 2021). There are a variety of cultures in the games industry. Some examples are mobile gaming, pc gaming or single-player games. Each has its own different beliefs but for this essay understanding how online gaming has changed how people play multiplayer video games is the main focus.
Online gaming is a form of gaming where a player connects to the internet and plays a game with either their friends or with random people. It is hugely popular with children and teenagers with research suggesting that gaming is one of the top activities enjoyed by 9-16 year olds online (ChildNet, 2011). This method has become much more popular over the past few decades with gamers as it allows for them to not have to meet up and organise plans.
In 1982, a man named William von Meister created a modem for the Atari 2600 where a consumer could download software and games by using their phone connection and a cartridge that plugged into the console (Chikhani, 2015). This device however failed to gain support and it died off by the Crash of 1983. However, in 1993, the use of LAN networks allowed gamers to play Doom together on multiple computers. The same year, the World Wide Web was created meaning that online gaming could start to be done more (RetroMash, 2021). In 2002, Microsoft revealed Xbox Live which would allow someone to talk to friends over a headset while playing a game together or talk and play with players from across the country all while sitting in their home (Microsoft, 2002).
Online gaming today has gained a much larger user base than it had in the ‘90s. Steam is an example of a platform where you can download and play games online. It is one of the biggest platforms for online gaming for PC. In 2020, Valve announced that Steam had over 120 million monthly active users during COVID-19 where it beat Microsoft’s and Sony’s active users (Yin-Poole, 2021). This shows that Steam had more users as the platform is more accessible due to it being on PC whereas the other networks are only on their specific consoles. In a study done by Bengsston et al (2021), as of 2020, COVID-19 has locked many people in their homes and online gaming has helped people get through the boredom of doing nothing.
COVID-19 has increased the number of people playing online. According to Clement (2021), during 2020, there was an increase of 39% of people playing video games. This data suggests that people have had more free time and have begun to play video games more often referring to the increase. Limelight (2021) reports that First-Person Shooter games including Call of Duty, Destiny 2 and Overwatch has increased in popularity by more than 6% in the past year and is the second most popular type of video game played. This links to the previous evidence as it shows that more people have played video games during COVID-19 and has shown an increase in activity with online First-Person Shooter games increasing in popularity by more than 6%.
Online gaming has helped many people create new friends and socialize all across the world. A survey in 2003 had over 11,000 gamers, who played the online fantasy role-playing Everquest, be asked what their favourite aspect of the game was. 23% of players said that grouping and interacting with each other was the best part about the game while another 15% said that chatting with friends and guildmates was their favourite aspect of the game (Chappell et al, 2003). This could lead to many people making new friends as the players would have similar interests meaning that it wouldn’t take long for them to become good friends.
Being able to play games online with friends without having to leave their house is a much more convenient way to communicate with friends. A survey done by Barr and Copeland-Stewart (2021) shows that respondents reported an increase in playing multiplayer games during COVID-19 with one person stating “Before the outbreak, I often played single-player games, now I mostly play online”. This suggests that people have started to play more online games with friends as it is easier and it allows them to communicate with their friends. Therefore, providing that online gaming has become more popular due to COVID-19.
Many people play online games for long periods of time which can lead to many mental and health problems. Violence is one problem that can occur depending on the game. A study done by Greitemeyer and Hollingdale (2014) had 101 students play either violent or non-violent games either online or offline for thirty minutes. The data displays that participants who played a violent video game online exhibited more aggression than those who played a neutral video game and to those who played a violent video game offline.
In conclusion, online gaming has changed how people play multiplayer games with benefits and detriments. COVID-19 has increased the number of people playing multiplayer games with and without friends dramatically. Playing online comes with some positives like downloading games, creating new friends, socializing with other players or playing with existing friends easier but it also comes with the negatives of getting more violent while in these games.
References
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