Would you agree that gamers are lonely people?

[Shortie]

One thing I have always noticed with people who are not into gaming as much as some of us is that, we seem to give the impression that because we play video games we are lonely people. The amount of times I have heard people say to me and others when we mention that we like to play video games about us needing to get out more, needing to make more friends has been overwhelming and often leads me to believe that many think we really are lonely people with no friends or social life.

Would you agree that gamers are lonely people? Even though we may have contact with people online on video games whether it be multiplayer or even single player games that may have online co-op? Is it just a stereotype that we will always hear from people who are not as into gaming like we are?

[Empire]

Nope, Streaming on Twitch you end up sharing to whoever is watching you. You can play games and not stream and feel the same way or just stream and share and do the same gaming. It is very easy to find people for online multilayer games, but I don't play these games a lot. I mostly play single player games. I have groups on Discord, What's app, and Telegram, but they don't really care about single player games. Whenever I write about a game I beat, I rarely get a respond.

[Shagger]

There is a big difference between someone who is solitary and somebody who is lonely.

[Tonberry]

58 minutes ago, Shagger said:

There is a big difference between someone who is solitary and somebody who is lonely.

Yeah I was about to reply with this aswell. I like being by myself, and playing games solo gives me peace of mind and time to think (or not think if that's what I need at the moment haha). Though I wouldn't call myself lonely because of that, since I enjoy it and have other outlets to be with friends and family :)

[Reality vs Adventure]

When I grew up in gaming in the 80’s, it was in no way a lonely activity. There were arcade machines everywhere in public places. This was also in Las Vegas though where slot machines were also everywhere. When they removed all the gaming machines from the public eye, that’s when people developed the bias that gamers were lonely or asocial people because they really had no choice but to game at home. People watch tv or serf internet at home too, but the tv is everywhere. It’s socially acceptable. It’s at your workplace, at the auto shop, at waiting areas, and plastered on Times Square. I don’t know what caused the reason to eliminate gaming from the public world, I doubt it was supply and demand because a bunch of people would jump on an arcade game if they brought it back in everyday life. Meanwhile, we game at home where gaming has been pushed by whatever forces out there that decided it should stay at home. Even retail stores who sell video games don’t even allow you to play the games at the store anymore. Not that I see anymore at least. The gaming world is ripe to bring it into the social life where a CEO or a politician can openly talk about a cool game they played with their kids or spouse. What is more likely the case, is people feel like they are above it, above playing games. They see it as immature, while they go dress up and watch a play at a venue because they like to dazzle themselves in jewels and fancy clothes and act like their shit don’t stink. Entertainment is entertainment and if we can save ourselves the hassle of not wasting time driving downtown and get a DWI after a party and instead stay home with a pleasant game that makes you happy and engage with some gaming buddies, then who the fuck is anyone else to judge. Tell them next time they jerk off at the computer, they have to do it as a social group. 

[Kyng]

Not at all... gaming can be a very sociable activity! Especially if it's an MMORPG where players naturally form clans and alliances, which will often become tight-knit and lead to long-lasting friendships. (For example, I'm still friends with people I met on CyberNations, even though I quit that game over a decade ago)

Admittedly, single-player games (and competitive multiplayer games in which every player plays for themselves) can be lonelier - but even then, players will often be able to talk about the game with each other online!

[Rainbow Road]

Hell no. There are ways to game with people and with Multiplayer as big as it is now I honesty doubt alot of gamers are lonley.

Hell even with Single Player games some people perfer to game alone and that doesn't make them lonley. As been said there's a difference Solitary and lonliness.

[The Blackangel]

I don't think there could be any consensus about this unless every gamer everywhere was questioned. I know that I'm lonely, because I have been all my life. I'm also an introvert and socially awkward. At this point in my life, I prefer to be by myself. But as @Shagger said, there's a difference between solitary and lonely. And it's a big one at that. So all in all, it comes down to the individual, and their personal circumstances.

As far as lonely goes, nothing sucks so much as being alone even when your surrounded by people.

Edited January 1, 2023 by The Blackangel

[Smokey]

Nope. Not at all. I met a lot of awesome friends, some who I consider family, through gaming online since 2007. Prior to that, I met people at arcades, the video rental shops in my area back in the day and other gaming-oriented activities, so even back in the days before online gaming, you were able to link up with other gamers, it just wasn't as easy or common as it is today, so no, being a gamer does not mean i'm 'lonely' by any means.

[Kane99]

I wouldn't say that gamers in general are lonely. I mean, who's to say they are or aren't. I think if anything if you game online a lot, I don't think that constitutes loneliness. When I think of lonely people, I think of those who aren't gaming online much, or those who are at home all the time, not conversing with others often. But I could be wrong on that as people are different. Someone can be lonely and still game online often. 

Anyway, I think it depends on the person, because I can see many people being happy with the interactions i have with them online. But, people also like to mask their feelings. 

[Moonface]

No. Not going out doesn't equate to being lonely, it's the lack of any human interaction that would cause that type of thing. To me, getting together with friends to play a game online together is no different to getting a group together to go for drinks at a bar. Both are socializing moments, just in different forms.

[killamch89]

Not really, I play games with my friends sometimes - it's not all the time that I feel like gaming with them or have the time to either. Most gamers I know has a gaming buddy or two that they always play Co-op/online games with.

[Scorpion]

Not all gamers are lonely; many build friendships online. The stereotype persists, but gaming fosters connections. Social life varies for everyone.

[Lens]

Just because we play games doesn't really mean that we're lonely people. No, that's a wrong perception. There are many gamers with online friends and teams. So, that's a fallacy.