When something is as popular as video games, it impacts society on many levels. Games changed how we have fun, make friends, even flirt. Not so long ago, people who played video games a lot were weirdos. Nowadays, everyone wants to say they’re a gamer because it earns respect. And with rising trends of eSports, video games will keep getting more popular. It means dating preferences will keep adapting. Let’s see how it will affect places where video games are extra popular.
Can Video Games Affect the Way Gamers Date?
Video games can affect how gamers date because games can affect what we expect from partners. That happens when someone gets too involved with certain games. They want real people to have the looks and personal qualities of game characters. Luckily, that doesn’t happen as often. Recreational gamers can now find dates easily, so they have experience instead of false expectations.
The other effect of video games on dating is about meeting new people. Now, it’s not too weird to flirt in online games, so some people meet partners directly in the lobbies. However, there are better ways to connect with other gamers, especially in countries where everybody admires gaming skills. Many video-game fans mention that on their profiles on special dating sites for gamers, which are pretty popular nowadays. Taking the Asian gaming industry as one of the most developed to date, it’s no wonder that dating websites catering to those seeking Asian hookups with gamers were created. On such outlets, gamers of different skills and levels can be found; they seek fun, friendships, and hookups as well. Some even say that using online resources for these purposes is easier and safer, so it affects the way gamers date big time. It’s common to use games as one of the chat topics to get to know each other before hooking up. Bonding with someone who shares the same interest takes less than bonding with someone randomly. That’s the biggest blessing of video games. They erase distance. No one who loves the same game is a stranger.
The Popularity of Asian Culture in the Gaming Industry
Asian characters are getting more attention in games lately because companies recognize how popular gaming is in Asia. According to Statista, there were 2 billion gamers in Asia in 2020, 665 million in China. Three Asian countries were among the top five with the highest gaming revenue in 2020. China took first place, Japan third, and the Republic of Korea fourth. In 2021, the top countries with the highest percentage of people playing video games were Asian. Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, India, Vietnam had more than 91,3% of gamers in their populations. Interestingly, none of the Asian countries with the highest revenue had the most gamers. But regardless of that, modern Asian culture is closely related to video games, so gamers don’t have issues finding dates. Everybody is playing something anyway.
And having some inspiring Asian characters in popular games helps raise the popularity of Asian culture worldwide. Chun-Li from Street Fighter, Wei Shen – Sleeping Dogs, Faith Connors – Mirror’s Edge, to name just a few.
Video Games as an Excuse to Meet a Partner to Play and Date
It’s clear how video games affect dating preferences. Everybody is playing them, that’s one of the most popular hobbies in the world, it makes someone more interesting. But they also affect how people spend their dates. Ask someone older what would happen if they invited a girl to play video games 30 years ago. If she was like most girls, she’d reject that without giving it a second thought.
But nowadays girls love playing video games on dates. It’s fun to play Fortnite or some other fast-paced game with a partner. It makes hearts pump. Slower games where a couple can focus on talking and bonding are also fun. One thing is sure: there are different games for different couples and situations. But all of them are great excuses for playful dates.
Popular Games with Romance Options
Some games have nothing to do with romance, some base their story on love but focus on killing, and some are full of love. We’ll list popular games with romance options below to help couples prepare for different kinds of dates. We’ll start with a slow game that really helps meet the other person.
One of the first life simulation games to offer a wide variety of dating options was The Sims series of games. Creating the digital version of yourself and your partner and then leading them through life might seem like a piece of cake. But anyone who has played The Sims knows that things can go sideways. Especially if two people control their characters. Playing that game on dates is a good personality test. There are plenty of other partners to choose from in The Sims if you want to annoy your partner.
GreedFall takes place in the alternative reality but touches a lot of problems we can relate to here. It features four possible love stories (among many other features/missions). Most people have to beat the game more than once to see different scenarios because they exclude each.
The love story in Skyrim isn’t as complex as it can be in The Sims, but it’s great that you can get married in such a game. Downloading mods unlocks many new potential brides/grooms, and DLCs let you adopt. You can make one happy, little, dragon-slaying family.
So, you can see that many games (even those that do not initially have the main goal of building a romantic relationship between characters) supplement their gameplay with romantic options to make the players have fun. We can see this in Fallout 4, Cyberpunk 2077, GTA series, and other games that have an open virtual world, as well as in dating simulation games like Dream Daddy. The online industry is booming, as are online dating and Internet opportunities to meet people of interest. And there’s no denying the influence of gaming culture on how gamers build their relationships IRL.
