Social gaming has become hugely popular. It’s a type of gaming where there’s a strong focus on social interaction rather than just the gameplay itself. With any type of social game, players are encouraged to join lobbies, make new friends, and have a fun time. That’s generally how it works, which has led to the industry exploding in popularity. 

It was back in 2020 when social gaming really started to pick up momentum. Almost half the world was locked down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so people were naturally craving social interaction. But because they were stuck at home, one of the only ways to do this was through gaming. This led to a thunderous rise in social gaming, with the trend sticking around ever since. 

40% of Gen Z and Millenials Play Social Games

A recent Deloitte survey found that a huge 40% of Gen Z and Millennials socialize more in video games than in the physical world. This shouldn’t come as too much of a shock, as real-life socializing has decreased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, younger generations are using online games as a source for entertainment as well as a way to socialize with other people and be part of a wider community. It’s working, too, as many of today’s popular social games have player counts that are well into the millions. 

When we look at the social gaming landscape today, there are a handful of key factors that continue to drive the industry forward. Some of these factors include: 

🎰 Social Casinos 

Social casinos, which can be found on expert minimum deposit site LowPlays.com, have helped take social gaming to a new level over recent years. Ever since 2020, popular social casinos like WOW Vegas, McLuck, and Stake.us have hit the internet, providing a free platform for casino fans to come together, play different games, and make new friends. For example, Chumba Casino, which is one of the most popular social casinos around, has a reported 1 million monthly users, with most of these players enjoying the opportunity to play against other like-minded people. Not to mention, most social casinos also offer a range of awesome prizes (e.g. gift cards) that players can win, which is a nice little bonus on the side. 

🎮 Free-to-Play Games Across Major Platforms

The social gaming industry was valued at around $41.4bn back in 2023. This wouldn’t have been the case if it wasn’t for free-to-play games, which now dominate the console, mobile, and PC gaming charts. What’s important about this is that many free-to-play games are often social games, too, such as League of Legends, Valorant, and Fall Guys. When these types of social games are made available for free, it encourages huge waves of people to download them. After all, they have nothing to lose but potentially a lot to gain. It’s a win-win for both parties, as the developers and publishers of these F2P games generated an estimated $111.37 billion in 2023, so they’re now incentivised to keep releasing more of them moving forward. 

🤳 Social Media Game Integration 

Many of today’s social media apps have integrated free-to-play games into their sites. For example, Facebook now has over 6,000 games available in-site and in-app, with some of them being multiplayer. This has allowed countless people around the world the opportunity to have a fun social gaming experience just by owning a Facebook account. On top of this, TikTok now has mini-games, YouTube comes with a small group of playables, and the list goes on. Collectively, this has helped drive the social gaming phenomenon even higher. 

Is Social Gaming the Future? 

One thing is for certain: Gen Z and Millenials love online social games. They provide them with the opportunity to make new friends, interact with other people from around the world, and (most importantly) have a fun time. For them, it’s a no-brainer. And over the coming decade, it’s highly likely that newer generations will also have the same admiration for social gaming, too. This is especially probable considering that today’s social games are fast-becoming even more engaging, immersive, interactive, providing the perfect platform for people to socialize on their desired gaming platform without having to physically go anywhere. So, if this exciting trend continues, the global social gaming market will almost certainly reach its projection of $110.9 billion, making it one of the most valuable markets on the entire planet. 

How to Get Started With Social Gaming

If you’re a passionate gamer who also wants to use online games as a way to socialize and meet new people, the great news is that it’s super easy to do. Here are some of our recommendations to get started: 

• Find social gaming niches that you enjoy (e.g. battle royale or puzzle) 
• Join free-to-play social casinos (e.g. WOW Vegas)
• Open your mobile app store and download some of the F2P games 

Also, whichever social games you decide to play, make sure that you interact with other players, send friend requests, and more. Over time, you can then become part of different communities while also making new friends in the process, which is ultimately what social gaming is all about.