by Raff Rodrigues
Admin for the Vancouver Gaymers.

Summer is almost gone and you feel like you haven’t enjoyed enough time with your friends, eh? Socializing this year has become something rare and somewhat odd. Being responsible with social distancing hasn’t been very fun, but fear not. Very much like your Zoom work meetings and online classes, the internet also has a solution for this problem.

Online gaming is an excellent way to connect with your buddies in and out of your bubble or even meet new people. Whether you are new to gaming or a hardcore gamer, there is a huge variety of games that can suit every preference and style. And you don’t have to limit yourself to playing with your established friend groups, there are plenty of LGBT+ communities in BC focused on gaming that would be happy to welcome you, such as the Vancouver Gaymers.

Here we cover some of the most popular types of online gaming.

• Mobile Gaming: With a huge library of free games, mobile gaming is a perfect fit for players to enjoy some casual plays with your pals. It can be as simple as going through matches of Words with Friends, to an intense day of social-distancing raids playing Pokémon Go. Check out the GH list of best apps to play with friends.

• Discord: A popular free program used to communicate with groups through voice, chat and/or camera. With easy access right from your browser (or via smartphone app or downloadable client), Discord is the go-to for most online gamers. One of many cool features of this program is that you can stream a game from your computer through the app, sharing your screen with your friends, making it perfect for online board games. You can join and download Discord here. Looking for a local community to join? Vancouver Gaymers runs a Discord server. After you sign up, join here!

• MMORPGs: "Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games" allow you to play with many players at the same time, and have heavy social interaction. They are normally subscription-based, and allow you to build and customize your own character. You will work cooperatively with friends, new and old, to grow your character and progress through quests and challenges the game throws at you.

• MOBAs (which stands for Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) are a type of game where you assume a pre-designed character to play a short team-based match against an enemy team. MOBA matches start from scratch each time, and you can easily select a different kind of character to play as in order to find the playstyle that matches your preferences best. It’s very easy to play with friends or you can rely on the game’s matchmaking system to play with other random players. We highly recommend new players to find a friend with some experience to guide you through. Discord community servers often have players willing to help!

• Steam: An excellent source of affordable and fun games. Steam is an online platform selling games from AAA to indie titles at a variety of price points - also look out for frequent Steam sales!. The games library is as varied as games can be, with some excellent choices for online multiplayers. Everybody playing must own their own copies of the game to play together (with a few exceptions like Jackbox Party, which can be streamed through Discord — and we really recommend that you do). But otherwise, here is a list from PC World with some fun games to try.

• Console Gaming: Chances are, if you own a current console (Switch, Xbox One or Playstation 4), you are familiar with online gaming. But if you just happen to have one laying around and you never really gave it much attention, it might be a good opportunity to give it a go. You will have to start a paid subscription, but those usually come with a bunch of benefits, such as monthly free games. So go clean off the dust, ask around which games your friends have and plan for a party night.

With so many options, you will definitely be able to find something you like. And when in doubt, try searching for game suggestions on Google or YouTube for your platform of choice. There are tons of resources. A great way to find the right game for you is to watch streamers (try Twitch, a massive community of all kinds of game streamers, including LGBT+ streamers). And you know what? A lot of people are happy just watching other people playing. Or if you really like a game, why not try streaming yourself? Whatever you’re into, the internet can provide, and that is why we love it.

Editors Note: We’ve also heard of some groups using online board game platforms. Here are some to look into:

Tabletopia - Online arena for playing board games just like in real life. Play directly in modern desktop web browsers on Mac and Windows platforms, or download on Steam, App Store and Google Play.

Boardgame Arena - The best games of yesterday and today, adapted for online play. Play from your web browser - on all your devices. PC / Mac, iOS and Android tablets, smartphones, Wii U, Playstation, Xbox One …

Submitted by the Vancouver Gaymers

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