You are here: Home / News & Notes / Impact of Gaming on Social Networks
Aug
31
2010

Impact of Gaming on Social Networks

By | News & Notes, Social Networks

2 Comments

19/365 Game OverBadges. Points. Achievements. As shown by Mafia Wars, Farmville, and Foursquare, just to name a few, gaming can be both fun and addicting. Long before our current social networks, gamers spent hours racking up achievements in virtual worlds. Games on social networks have increased time spent and interactions within networks, but what impact is gaming having on these social networks?

Replacing other forms of Entertainment?

Gaming online used to be the domain of Gamers. These days just about everyone places some sort of online game, even if it’s just Farmville on Facebook. People are increasingly spending more time online and more of that time is in some sort of game:

Social gaming, as a category, has grown incredibly quickly, becoming one of the dominant drivers of usage on Facebook, and an increasingly core component of people’s entertainment. This growth represents a real threat to other forms of entertainment… -Why the Social Gaming Biz is Just Heating Up – Mashable

Gaming Increases Engagement

Do you play Foursquare? Or Farmville? Or some other online game? Why? Probably because you enjoy achieving something — getting more points or a badge or whatever. Just like contests are popular because people like to win. Online games are popular because people enjoy the escape of mindless stockpiling of points.

Even Google is Getting in the Game

Google just added another gaming site to it’s portfolio:

As we know through the acquisitions of Slide and Jambool, and investment in social gaming giant Zynga, Google is getting serious about the launch of Google Games. While we still don’t know the details of the platform, SocialDeck’s mobile technology seems to be a part of the plan. – Google’s Social Buying Spree Continues With Mobile Gaming Developer SocialDeck – TechCrunch

Will Gaming Increase Socializing?

Just because there’s more gaming going on, doesn’t mean people are being more social. Many (like me) find the game spam on Facebook to be annoying (even though I play other online games). Does playing games online increase or decrease socialization?

What do you think?

Special thanks to Andy Kraft for the post idea. You can find Andy on Twitter @roadblock.

(photo by Mykl Roventine)

Related Posts with Thumbnails
  • http://www.firstfound-blog.co.uk Andy Nattan

    I think it increases socialisation. Certainly, my Facebook feed is full of Farmville enthusiasts asking each other for help.

    It’s irritating, but it’s still communication.

  • http://sazbean.com sazbean

    Although asking friends for help with Farmville is pretty automated. Is that true communication or socializing? I think gaming can be social… certainly gamers on World of Warcraft speak to each other via voice in order to achieve in-game goals they couldn’t do alone. It’s interesting how gaming has started to be incorporated into social networks.