The Fear of Missing Out in Gaming: How Online Communities Shape Player Identity

Online communities have become an integral part of the gaming world, helping to shape player identity and boost an individual’s social confidence levels in a unique way.

On this page, we will be taking a closer look at the role of online communities in the digital era and how these virtual environments can foster a range of positive experiences for gamers.

What is an online gaming community?

An online gaming community is essentially a group of often like-minded individuals who can connect with each other while playing their favourite video games. There are many different ways you can find friends and interact with others while gaming online, some of which include the following:

• Players can interact with each other in real-time via several gaming platforms and website communities, such as GameTree, Discord, Twitch, Duoo, and Reddit, to name a few
• A great way to chat with friends online is to form in-game friendships and communicate either in text form via the messaging features or by using microphones and speaker headsets or cameras with built-in microphones
• Another popular way to interact with gaming communities is via live streams
• People can also meet up in the real world and become part of gaming communities at eSports events, gaming conventions and expos
• There’s also the ability to connect with others in the real world at local gaming cafes and video game stores
• Live dealer casino games are also a great way for online communities who enjoy playing the traditional favourites, such as blackjack, roulette, and poker, on today’s safest and most secure iGaming websites as a way of connecting when they win and lose

How Online Communities Shape Player Identity

There is often an age restriction requirement in most online gaming communities to safeguard players from inappropriate comments and bad language, meaning players must be at least 13 years old or above (or, in some cases, much higher). On iGaming sites, you must be at least 18 years old.

People are often part of several online gaming communities for various reasons, but mainly for inclusion, to learn new tips and tricks, to provide or receive helpful feedback, guidance, and support from other gamers, to learn about other people’s experiences, or just for general chit-chat and socialising.

Some online communities may focus on specific topics/subjects, such as discussing the latest games or devices, and others are purely for friendly batter and social interaction.

You may find that you fit in much better with some online gaming communities than you do with others, so don’t feel disheartened if some that you try aren’t what you’re looking for if you are hoping to connect with others online.

Try to avoid listening to negative/sarcastic comments and take the conversations that you engage in with a pinch of salt. However, you can block people who you don’t agree with, and you can even form your own private communities with people who are just like you and who you feel you have connected with the most.

Becoming part of an online community is seen as a great way for people to shape their identities, especially when they are part of a team that is helping to destroy the enemy in a collaborative effort. These communities can include anywhere from a handful of players up to thousands or more, and they might be people from your local area or across the world.

They help connect players like never before and have added a new dynamic to the online gaming realm.

Some of the largest online gaming communities that you may already be familiar with can be found in blockbuster titles such as Fortnite, Minecraft, and League of Legends.

Based on the latest data, the League of Legends gaming community is said to have over 100 million monthly active players, whereas the Minecraft online gaming community has slightly more monthly active players (130) million. Incredibly, more than 350 million active players are in the Fortnite community.

Final thoughts

Provided the online community is healthy and helps create positive experiences for you and the people you engage with, they can do more than just shape a player’s online identity. They can help build a player’s confidence and be used as a social avenue or creative outlet.

The ability to connect with others is said to keep players constantly invested in their games, which also helps fuel revenue growth for the global multi-billion-dollar gaming industry as a whole.

Online gaming communities are meant to provide a safe way for players to express themselves, but you should always be careful and never reveal too many details about yourself, such as where you live, your daily routine, your personally identifiable information (PII), preferred payment method details, and other sensitive data.