Finding Community in Gaming
Written by MasterMeowzer
Published on June 16th, 2024
This Pride Month comes with the news that the number of gamers identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community has grown from 10% to 17%! Given the emphasis of Pride every year on community, even through the pandemic when we had to switch over to online formats for… everything, the growth of the queer gaming community made me consider my struggles with finding a community where I felt welcome as I came into the online gaming world post-pandemic. As our lives move more and more online and into digital environments, the way we interact with communities evolves into a much more fluid paradigm that is sometimes overwhelming. It is possible to be involved with 100 different groups and keep up with chat rooms and events (okay, retrospectively, maybe 100 is a few too many to keep up with). However, at the same time, the digital mode of social environments can make it difficult to find a community that fits you personally. So, this Pride Month, here are three suggestions of ways to participate in the community, both online and in person!
Admire and Create Gaming Art:
There are many different ways to find and interact with art and culture! Art museums and community art workshops are some traditional ways, but if you are anything like me, those options may be a little too extroverted. Instead, consider checking out the gaming convention artwork booths while waiting for your favourite event. Check out the prizes offered for drawings within the events themselves—many of these are artworks created by people within the gaming community, and you can find them and their social media accounts tagged in the descriptions of the items. Often, people within the creation-side gaming and game-related artwork have and are working to develop their creative skills and share tips on their pages on how to get started on the type of creation they do!
Attend Local and Online Events:
Events are a great way to interact with other people with similar interests! Attending in person is an option for several events like Out of Bounds Toronto on June 18th and Games Done Quick’s (GDQ) recurring events. There are also online options for viewing and interacting with in-person events, including GDQ, and online-only events like Power Up With Pride running June 13th-16th. Of course, another option is the Lady Arcaders-run Attract Mode! on Twitch throughout the year. Keep in mind that with any of these events, you can be as extroverted or as introverted as you would like whether that’s watching or watching and chatting!
Join Online Communities:
Putting aside the earlier 100-groups comment, online communities and groups are a great way to find and build communities! Discord is commonly used to create and manage communities, especially within the gaming world. Many events and event-runners have Discord servers to facilitate the sharing and discussion of event-related interests, and many of these servers have channels for talking and sharing your own interests! If you are more interested in individual streamers, check the information provided on Twitch, YouTube, or whichever platform the streamer chooses to use! They may have created a space for their viewers to come together and create a community. Whichever it is, and however you choose to interact, these can be great places to hang out and relax!
Moving into an online world with so many events and communities can be overwhelming at times, but once you find places you enjoy being and things you enjoy experiencing, being part of a community within gaming can help you learn and evolve skills, find new interests, and have social interaction and support. Happy Pride Month!