Many of today’s mainstream games are free-to-play, centred around regular updates, microtransactions, and seasonal content. As a result, publishers benefit from a steady revenue stream, while players build social plans around patch drops: “Hey, shall we check out the new Fortnite update?”

People are willing to spend hours in front of their screens, as seen during the pandemic boom with Among Us, Jackbox, and Call of Duty: Warzone. Each big update creates a new wave of hype, with players flocking to jump in. Social mechanics like clearing dungeons or squadding up in Warzone don’t just offer loot and XP. They create moments of shared challenge, and bring people together in real time.

Gaming started with those awkward “water cooler” conversations, but it quickly evolved. It’s now an online social arcade. I remember being 16, rushing home from school to play every new Overwatch season with friends. Knowing that my favourite game had something shiny to check out made it cool. But it was even cooler sharing the experience. And let’s not forget the Halo 3 ending, racing across a collapsing landscape in the Warthog, arguing over who’d drive and who’d take the railgun. Escaping almost-certain doom with your bro? Peak friendship moment.

Whether it’s finding a guild or joining a co-op shooter, the internet is full of potential teammates who soon feel like brothers or sisters in arms. Some of my closest friendships started with one chaotic moment in Rainbow Six Siege, shouting “HE’S ONE SHOT” while storming B Site on Coastline.

It’s crazy to think that one message asking someone to squad up could lead to a real friendship. You might not know someone very well, but after hours gaming together (whether shooting zombies or robbing a bank), it feels like a genuine bond begins to form.

Gaming, once written off as wasted time, is now the norm. And in today’s world of Bumble, Tinder, and Hinge, don’t overlook Discord. It’s where many are now meeting their significant others. In fact, there are entire Reddit threads dedicated to love stories that started in lobbies and voice chat.

Game developers know that humans crave connection, and they’re building for it. Features like voice chat, matchmaking, co-op modes, and expressive emotes are now expected at launch.

Social features tend to lead to increased engagement and retention. People are more likely to return to a game (like I do daily with Apex Legends) if their friends are playing or there’s a sense of belonging in the game community. Games become rituals.

Social design isn’t just good for community building, it’s good for business, too. Social games spread faster via Steamer collabs, memes, and word of mouth. Titles like Phasmophobia, Valorant, and Among Us owe much of their staying power to streamer buzz and community hype.

Multiplayer gamers never slow down. And if you’re a newcomer you can feel motivated to invest in the game just to catch-up. Ever been jealous of a friend’s skin or the fact they can one-shot low level mobs? It’s easy to be tempted down the microtransaction rabbit hole.

So while devs do help build relationships, bromances and friendships, they’re also crafting sticky ecosystems designed to keep us playing.