© 2025 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202

Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
WBFO Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Your NPR Station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Protect My Public Media

Game Mode: Finding friends on and offline (Rebroadcast)

A photo shows visitors in front of the Xbox booth at the Gamescom video game fair in Cologne, western Germany.
A photo shows visitors in front of the Xbox booth at the Gamescom video game fair in Cologne, western Germany.

Traditionally, video games are viewed as an isolating experience: sitting alone, in a basement or locked room, staring at a television for hours on end, and not speaking to anyone.

Honestly, most of that last sentence is true, minus the last bit. Since the early days of the console wars, gamers have gathered around televisions and online to do what they love. They’ve started websites, YouTube channels, Discord servers, conventions, and more in order to find each other, make friends, and get their game on.

What do these communities look like? And what do they mean to the people who are a part of them?

Copyright 2023 WAMU 88.5

Arfie Ghedi, Chris Castano