What makes online gaming so magical?
Almost every evening of my teenage years, I would slip away to my computer and live another life inside some vast awe-inspiring world beyond our own. Not unlike any child who ever dreamed of becoming their favorite superhero, games allowed me the opportunity to play the role of a hero. Every night, I roamed the land defending the weak, assisting others, conquering bad guys, and working hard to better myself. In its own unique way, these games bred life lessons and largely influenced who I am today.
The worlds I lived in were fantastical worlds heavily inspired by the diverse lore of Tolkien and Gygax. Worlds littered with unidentifiable life forms and flora, with countless thousands of players sharing these beautifully illustrated landscapes. However, that glorified experience was only present from the outside looking in; what really made the experience magical was happening beneath the surface of it all and I didn’t even know it.
There I was, just a young boy behind the warm glow of a CRT monitor with the internet at my fingertips, playing with people from all over the world- it was my first real experience with diversity. Some players were undoubtedly younger than I was, but most players whom I considered my closest colleagues and associates, were likely much older. I didn’t know their names, their voices, their race, their religion, their native language, their social class, if they were a veteran, if they were someone’s mother, what their sexual orientation was, or if they were disabled or disfigured. Honestly, in such a magical world where we could fight alongside one another as unwavering allies battling our way to the top, none of that mattered, and to me, none of that matters still.
Playing online games taught me more about diversity than my sheltered upbringing ever could have, so I’m very thankful for the times that I have shared online with so many of you. To this day some of my closest friends are just internet friends and while I may not know the intricacies of their daily lives outside of the games we enjoy together, I don’t feel that it would be relevant to me appreciating who they are as a person anymore than I already do.
This is just one of several reasons why community gaming is so important. It’s also the reason why we are creating VirtusGaming. We want people from all over the world to be able to unite and share their online experiences in a way that strengthens bonds and helps foster online communities.
Thank you so much for reading and I hope to see you online!
Drew
