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Whether you play on a PC or a game console, there’s no denying that multiplayer has become a huge part of electronic entertainment. Franchises such as Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, World of Warcraft, and DotA are all household names because they make players converge and create memorable experiences together. Whether you play games cooperatively with other players or you prefer battling them, there’s no denying that the social aspect of these games make them a lot more fulfilling.
As such, most games reward players who engage in social behaviors. In massive multiplayer online RPGs (MMORPGs), players who play in parties and clans tend to gain more experience and acquire better items. In more skill-based games such as shooters, playing with better players usually helps you advance your skills faster than you would when playing by yourself. Therefore, it’s important to find and explore opportunities to band with other gamers to establish mutually beneficial partnerships.
Of course, that’s easier said than done. You need to invest some time and social graces to get into the club. Here’s how you can get that process started en route to a much more fulfilling gaming career:
- Facebook Groups–These days, it’s hard to find gamers who aren’t active on their own social media channels. Obviously, there’s no social network bigger than Facebook and gamers are using it to congregate and organize social groups. Using Facebook’s search function, you can easily find dozens of groups dedicated to your favorite games. Just ask to join and wait for the administrators to let you in.
Once you’re in, you’ll see that people ask questions, post screenshots. Discuss hot topics and recruit other people to join their clans. Be a good citizen by participating in discussions and being friendly to everyone. Before long, your activity should get noticed and people will start talking to you.
- Subreddits – Subreddits are dedicated forums on just about anything within the news aggregation site Reddit. Whichever game you’re playing, there’s bound to be a subreddit for it. You can Google it right now and you should find one.
Create an account and participate in the discussions. As the case is with Facebook groups, participating and behaving like a good citizen is the key. Express yourself and share some insights, but be respectful of other members. After a few days or weeks of participation, people should regularly respond to you and eventually socialize with you. Most in-game friendships start with discussions on Reddit and go on to become long-standing alliances online.
- Stream Games–One quick way to make friends online and connect with other gamers is to stream games on channels such as Twitch. Facebook and YouTube. Just play your games as best as you could and let other people online watch you. You don’t have to play like a professional gamer to get some followers and to start conversing with other enthusiasts. You just need to play, socialize and be friendly to other members of the community. Some of them will even invite you to join their clans if you happen to be the kind of player they’re looking for.
- Participate in Forums – The idea may sound old, but people still put together active forums to discuss video games that they like. Sign up to some active ones and share your thoughts on hot button topics. Better yet, answer questions posted by other gamers and try to help them out as best as you could. These things don’t go unnoticed and you could find yourself having some followers in just a few weeks.
- Blog About It–If you have a flair for writing, you can blog about your favorite game. Write about tips, tricks and general advice that other people will find useful. Share your posts on Reddit and forums and you should be able to get some attention from other players who’ll want to band with you.
- Use Mobile Apps like BAND.us – Gamers also happen to be heavy smartphone users. In that regard, you can find other people with similar interests to yours if you have the right apps on your phone. A good example would be BAND.us, available both on Android and the Apple App Store.
This program allows you to communicate with other players, seamlessly switch between online identities, set up clan spaces and more. This way, you don’t always have to be in front of your computer or console to talk to fellow players. You can do it while sitting at the back of a car or in a train.
- Participate in Community Events–Long-standing forums, Facebook groups or even subreddits sometimes hold community events such as tournaments, meetups, secret Santas and more. Find an event that interests you and join up. A lot of people become online friends because of these festivities. Meeting people in person is even better – it’s easier to establish rapport and trust when hands have been shaken and several drinks have accompanied hearty discussions on common interests.
Making friends online comes down to being nice and helpful to other members of the community. As long as you take proper safety precautions in dealing with online strangers, being sociable should enhance your gaming experiences.
