Gaming is a large part of many people’s lives because of quarantine and being unable to see people. Therefore, many find solace in online communication through gaming. 

Many people find new friends and keep in touch with old ones during this trying time with help from a plethora of games such as Valorant, Call of Duty, Among Us, and many more. These games, along with talking applications, make communications with friends easier than ever. 

 Junior Milan Patel said, “Through gaming, I have been able to meet so many people and keep in touch with so many more. Gaming, really as a whole has enabled me so much; it feels awesome knowing that so many people are getting into gaming, and I might meet more people.”

In addition to Patel, junior Joaquin Fiera also feels that specific games have kept him connected through quarantine. 

“I’ve been playing Valorant like crazy, and I’ve just been using the game to talk to people and make callouts to talk to them, which allows me to talk to everyone and really make friends,” Fiera said.

Many gamers are using gaming not only to stay connected with friends, but also to strengthen bonds with their families.

“Gaming has always… been in my life, like, my dad games and stuff, and when quarantine hit, it didn’t really affect me much. I had been gaming for a while, but like now, I get to see all my friends that I haven’t been able to communicate much with… it’s nice,” junior Luke Halverson said.

Gaming brings people together as a community and a lot of people think gaming has allowed them to reach out and overcome otherwise standing communication barriers.