Many gamers who seriously play video games tend to spend long periods, alone and confined with the game. Although there are a number of games with a multiplayer aspect, either physically or online, they are no substitute for socializing and interacting with others. As a result, these gamers show symptoms of neglecting their friends, family, studies, work and social activities. However, some gamers are able to meet new acquaintances through gaming; this topic will be discussed in detail under its own heading. Even “communities” of online gamers are incomparable to a real community. The members of such virtual communities might not haven even seen another member face to face at all.
Data from surveys have revealed that in general, people who play video games, especially online ones, are more stressed-out, depressed, alienated and lonely that non-gamers.
However, the situation is not hopeless; in fact, gaming can easily do the opposite and happily bring people closer together. Gaming can bring friends and family closer together. It can also lead to new friends, but this point will be further examined in its own subheading. Most interestingly, video games can bring parents and their children closer together. This has been proven in two surveys conducted by Microsoft Canada and the Entertainment Software Association in the December and November, respectively, of 2005. The surveys reported that one in three parents played video games an average of 19 hours a month and 80% of these gaming parents play online games with their child. Many of these parents also testified that gaming with their children actually brought their family closer together.