Love in Pixels
By: Ziggy Salvation
(3 min read)
Amongst the entirety of Online Gaming, one major aspect people never expect to hear is a love story. It’s inconceivable to think that two people sharing gameplay can build a relationship that would evolve into anything other than just an online buddy. That, believe it or not, can’t be farther from the truth. I know many, many couples that when asked, where they met, they typically giggle and smile and then name the game they both played. The truth of the matter is most people don’t realize that the average online gamer that finds a game or genre they really connect with spends about 20 hours a week or more in their pixelated simulation. What are they doing with that time? Spending with the collective friend group they’ve established there.
With the gaming culture becoming what it is, it’s no longer only for the guys that are seen as loners and nerds, because of the culture, there’s now a new standard of things that are cool to be a part of. Also, it’s a place where it is easy to open up about your personal life because if someone doesn’t agree with you on something, or there is an end to a friendship or someone you just don’t want to be around anymore, there’s no personal interaction to tell them so. Disassociation can be as easy as removing someone from your friends list, and you don’t have to talk to them anymore.
Personally, I feel that the biggest genre for finding a relationship is games categorized as MMOs. Typically these games have tasks and goals that take quite a bit of time to build toward, so you will naturally be doing said things with friends you’ve made. I can honestly say that some of the most meaningful friendships have been made in the game World of Warcraft. Over the two decades, that’s right, decades, that I’ve poured into that game, I’ve not only met what I consider some of my best friends, but we get to hear about our lives blossoming and share them together. Some of these people I’ve had the opportunity to meet, and some I’ve never met and probably never will.
The cornucopia of people and all walks of life you come across is some of the best parts of the experience. I’ve become friends with business openers, 20+ year veterans, folks with disabilities, and anything in between, but when you’re logged in, we’re all the same collection of Orcs, Trolls, Elves, and Dwarves.
If you really look at it with an open mind and take a step back, it’s quite a beautiful thing. People that you would never see associating with one another out in the world become the perfect team in unison in the game. So naturally, apart from that, love is bound to spawn in places least expected. Often times it is natural for the couple to blossom, and for a few months, it’s the honeymoon phase where they’re constantly playing together or in a voice chat together all hours of the day. And sometimes, a few magic spills over into the real world, and the couple meets, and it would be everything that they thought it would be with a dash of a little more because usually, by the time they meet in person, they’ve spent countless hours exploring each other’s stories.
I’m a big advocate for meeting people in this method, or long distance, simply for the fact that it takes all physical aspirations at bay, so the only choice you have is to get the know the other person that you’re interested in. There’s no pressure about where to place your hand or if you should go for the kiss. There are more meaningful conversations being had because that’s the only option is to talk or talk some more. Don’t get me wrong, in the digital age that we live in, there is, of course, video calling and FaceTime, but it still isn’t the same as being face-to-face.
I can speak on this personally only because my wife and I were over-the-phone friends for years. She knew my gaming by my live-streaming, and I can say she’s my absolute best friend, and we built upon this digital world that more and more people are becoming a part of. And boy, oh boy, it is exciting to see.
Ziggy Salvation
All Things Wellness, LLC
ziggysalvation@gmail.com
twitch.tv/ziggysalvation
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