How aggressive gaming on discord fosters social connections

Human beings are social animals; they want locations to chill out, join with others, and really feel a way of belonging past the calls for of dwelling and work. Traditionally, these ‘third places’ are regarded as restricted to cafes, golf equipment, gardens, and different neighborhood neighborhood spots. However, with a rise in digitally formed life schedules, a brand new query arises: Do on-line areas provide the identical social values as offline ones?

“Video games and social media are often considered to be isolating or overly competitive among young generations. Yet, for many players, these platforms are more than just entertainment, giving them an opportunity to connect with like-minded people,” explains Assistant Professor Mattias van Ommen from the Faculty of Social Studies at Doshisha University, Japan. While these results are well-demonstrated in analysis on Western gaming cultures, the impact of such digital communities stays extremely understudied in Asian cultures, particularly in Japan the place players are nonetheless typically stereotyped as socially awkward younger males.

Capturing this situation, researchers at Doshisha University began to discover on-line gaming communities and their function as an area of social belonging. Together with former Doshisha University pupil Mr. Ginga Yahanashi, Dr. van Ommen carried out a long-term qualitative examine of a web based Discord neighborhood. The neighborhood was referred to as Medimura (pseudonym) and was utilized by expert gamers for the sport Splatoon 3. The findings of the examine have been made obtainable on-line and printed in Volume 11, Issue 4 of the journal Social Media + Society on December 1, 2025.

An in-depth evaluation of Medimura mirrored that members initially joined primarily to enhance their gameplay, however their motivations modified over time. “Participants who initially joined as competitive members eventually stayed back for social reasons, as they started feeling a sense of comfort in their everyday social engagements on Discord,” says Dr. van Ommen. With time, Medimura, which began as a gaming hub, turned a spot for individuals to easily spend time collectively.

The examine emphasizes that members rigorously stability aggressive play with informal dialog. Although matches could be intense, gamers additionally joke, chat about each day life, and help each other throughout nerve-racking moments. Encouraging clear neighborhood guidelines and entry necessities helps in sustaining a secure and respectful surroundings for individuals from completely different social backgrounds interacting on equal floor.

Importantly, the researchers discovered that the neighborhood features as a ‘third place,’ regardless of current solely on-line. For most customers, Medimura was an area they struggled to search out elsewhere, free from strict guidelines and social stress often skilled at work or faculty. “For some players, the community provided a rare experience where they felt accepted as who they were,” feedback Mr. Yahanashi. “For them, this sense of ease and emotional safety was just as important as the game itself.”

In a world the place players are nonetheless typically portrayed as socially withdrawn, this examine reveals that even aggressive environments can result in significant relationships. Considering the Japanese cultural context, the place informal social interactions could be restricted, particularly in on a regular basis work and college environments, gaming communities could play an necessary function in creating secure social areas the place individuals can chill out and ‘be themselves.’

Looking forward, the researchers hope their examine will encourage a broader understanding of digital platforms and their affect on supporting social wellbeing. In a digital age, the place offline and on-line lives proceed to coexist, communities like Medimura display how artistic know-how can be utilized to advertise social connections, offering a way of belonging and mutual help.

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About Assistant Professor Mattias van Ommen from Doshisha University, Japan
Dr. Mattias van Ommen is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Sociology at Doshisha University, Japan, the place he focuses on cultural anthropology and Japanese digital gaming cultures. He accomplished a Bachelor of Arts in Japan Studies at Leiden University, Netherlands, and holds a Master’s and a PhD in Anthropology earned on the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He has printed on digital video games, on-line communities, and modern types of social interplay, with explicit consideration to Japanese gaming areas. His upcoming e book on Japanese Final Fantasy XIV communities, Fantastic Intimacy, will likely be printed by Cornell University Press within the late 2026.

Funding data
The authors disclosed receipt of the next monetary help for the analysis, authorship, and/or publication of this text: While the authors acquired no monetary help for the analysis of this text, this text’s publication—particularly the article processing cost (APC)—was supplied by the APC help program of Doshisha University’s Department of Research Planning.

Media contact:
Organization for Research Initiatives & Development
Doshisha University
Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, JAPAN
E-mail：jt-ura@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

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