(Very much so) Loneliness Is Fatal. Video Games Can Keep Men Alive. https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a29578572/men-friendships-video-games-loneliness But what if you could get the shared experiences and idle chitchat that are so necessary to nurturing these connections, without having to worry about hangovers, or babysitters, or even putting on pants? This is the idyll offered by multiplayer and “co-op” video games, which more and more people have been turning to of late. Some 25 percent of all adults either played or watched an online game in 2018, according to a Washington Post-University of Massachusetts Lowell poll, and somewhat surprisingly, half the respondents reported that “friendship” was one of their main reasons for logging in, whether it was finding new relationships or checking in with real-life friends they don’t see as often as they’d like. It’s a growing phenomenon that questions the stereotype of the gamer as isolated, even socially maladjusted. And it’s an increasingly common means for men to make the all-important act of doing something with their buddies, even when time, commitments, and geography get in the way.
I don't know if the article describes me or not, but as a happily married man whose two kids put a twenty year competitive online gaming passion on pause, I miss my online bros more than my old school mates, drinking buddies, baseball teammates, coworkers and basically every other social circle. Can't wait to look them up and do another 60+ hour straight release rush someday...
I don't have a lot of real life friends but gaming in EQ & other online games definitely has kept my feeling lonely at bay which is real important for me. Loss of human connection, the interaction is a big factor in severe depression, addiction & poor mental health & being aware of that makes gaming a very real option to stay connected to that and even if the friendships are only ephemeral they help, but often they become more important than that. Think on how much time you spend with online gamers & it's only natural they become important to you. I often say that EQ is like the pub, for nerds.
