Online gaming to soon replace dating apps – Research data
Online dating is a phenomenon that has been around for more than 3 decades, with the introduction of websites like Match.com. However, not all couples that met online had the much hyped “dating apps” experience; some have found love in the most unexpected place; online gaming.
Dating apps are slowly losing their appeal, now facing dire declines in user engagement, particularly among younger generations. Research from the UK and the US indicates that online gaming is emerging as an alternative platform for romantic connections, signaling a change in trends of how people, particularly Gen Z, form intimate relationships.
Dating apps numbers falter; Is online gaming the new Tinder?
According to an Ofcom report published in November last year, the UK’s top dating apps are experiencing a notable drop in usage. Tinder, once the dominant player, lost 594,000 users, while Hinge, Bumble, and Grindr saw declines of 131,000, 368,000, and 11,000 users, respectively.
Although Grindr was the “exception to the rule” of these findings, boasting of a year-over-year growth in UK users, dating apps are generally losing their appeal among younger users. In fact, a 2023 study by Axios revealed that 79% of US college students and other Gen Zers are moving away from traditional dating platforms.
In response to this decline, Match Group Inc., which owns Tinder and Hinge, acknowledged in a 2024 shareholder letter that younger users are seeking “a lower pressure, more authentic way to find connections.”
One of the most significant trends emerging from this shift is the rise of online gaming as a new venue for forming romantic connections. Research and personal stories from players illustrate how gaming platforms offer a unique, less pressured way for people to bond.
The BBC featured a beautiful story of Jess and Nate, a tale molded in the video game World of Warcraft. The two had a brief encounter at an esports event in Germany in March 2023 and began to play the game together shortly after.
It did not matter that they were miles apart, Nate just outside London and Jess in Wales, the pair spent their days playing games online. In March 2024, they decided to move in together in Manchester, and they continue to play World of Warcraft daily.
For Jess, the shared love for the game made it easier to form a connection. “You both have such a strong mutual love for something already, it’s easier to fall in love,” she explains.
Nate supported this sentiment, asserting that gaming has allowed him to build deeper relationships than dating apps ever did.
Another couple, Wochi and PurplePixel, met in World of Warcraft by chance. Initially on opposing teams, they spent hours chatting into the night, eventually forming a more close connection. Three years later, Wochi moved from Italy to the UK to be with PurplePixel.
Online communities connections are more authentic
Carolina Bandinelli, an associate professor at Warwick University, explains that the concept of meeting someone through a shared interest is not new, but gaming has given it a modern twist.
For many Gen Z users, the digital gaming world is an opportunity to meet like-minded individuals everyday, without the transactional constraints and expectations clouding traditional dating apps.
“It’s increasingly difficult to distinguish between behaviour that’s on a dating app and dating behaviour on another platform,” explains Luke Brunning, co-director of the Centre for Love, Sex, and Relationships at the University of Leeds.
The pandemic may have further fueled this shift, as lockdowns turned dating apps into a form of social media, providing a sense of connection in a time of isolation. Although this behavior was temporary, it led to greater dissatisfaction with the transactional nature of dating apps.
As Prof. Brian Heaphy from the University of Manchester also points out, apps that aren’t specifically designed for dating, such as film discussions forum Letterboxd, show people that talking online “could be different from just swiping and getting no responses.”
“They’re not offering a commercialized form of romance, so they can seem more authentic,” he added.
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Online gaming to soon replace dating apps – Research data
Online dating is a phenomenon that has been around for more than 3 decades, with the introduction of websites like Match.com. However, not all couples that met online had the much hyped “dating apps” experience; some have found love in the most unexpected place; online gaming.
Dating apps are slowly losing their appeal, now facing dire declines in user engagement, particularly among younger generations. Research from the UK and the US indicates that online gaming is emerging as an alternative platform for romantic connections, signaling a change in trends of how people, particularly Gen Z, form intimate relationships.
Dating apps numbers falter; Is online gaming the new Tinder?
According to an Ofcom report published in November last year, the UK’s top dating apps are experiencing a notable drop in usage. Tinder, once the dominant player, lost 594,000 users, while Hinge, Bumble, and Grindr saw declines of 131,000, 368,000, and 11,000 users, respectively.
Although Grindr was the “exception to the rule” of these findings, boasting of a year-over-year growth in UK users, dating apps are generally losing their appeal among younger users. In fact, a 2023 study by Axios revealed that 79% of US college students and other Gen Zers are moving away from traditional dating platforms.
In response to this decline, Match Group Inc., which owns Tinder and Hinge, acknowledged in a 2024 shareholder letter that younger users are seeking “a lower pressure, more authentic way to find connections.”
One of the most significant trends emerging from this shift is the rise of online gaming as a new venue for forming romantic connections. Research and personal stories from players illustrate how gaming platforms offer a unique, less pressured way for people to bond.
The BBC featured a beautiful story of Jess and Nate, a tale molded in the video game World of Warcraft. The two had a brief encounter at an esports event in Germany in March 2023 and began to play the game together shortly after.
It did not matter that they were miles apart, Nate just outside London and Jess in Wales, the pair spent their days playing games online. In March 2024, they decided to move in together in Manchester, and they continue to play World of Warcraft daily.
For Jess, the shared love for the game made it easier to form a connection. “You both have such a strong mutual love for something already, it’s easier to fall in love,” she explains.
Nate supported this sentiment, asserting that gaming has allowed him to build deeper relationships than dating apps ever did.
Another couple, Wochi and PurplePixel, met in World of Warcraft by chance. Initially on opposing teams, they spent hours chatting into the night, eventually forming a more close connection. Three years later, Wochi moved from Italy to the UK to be with PurplePixel.
Online communities connections are more authentic
Carolina Bandinelli, an associate professor at Warwick University, explains that the concept of meeting someone through a shared interest is not new, but gaming has given it a modern twist.
For many Gen Z users, the digital gaming world is an opportunity to meet like-minded individuals everyday, without the transactional constraints and expectations clouding traditional dating apps.
“It’s increasingly difficult to distinguish between behaviour that’s on a dating app and dating behaviour on another platform,” explains Luke Brunning, co-director of the Centre for Love, Sex, and Relationships at the University of Leeds.
The pandemic may have further fueled this shift, as lockdowns turned dating apps into a form of social media, providing a sense of connection in a time of isolation. Although this behavior was temporary, it led to greater dissatisfaction with the transactional nature of dating apps.
As Prof. Brian Heaphy from the University of Manchester also points out, apps that aren’t specifically designed for dating, such as film discussions forum Letterboxd, show people that talking online “could be different from just swiping and getting no responses.”
“They’re not offering a commercialized form of romance, so they can seem more authentic,” he added.
Cryptopolitan Academy: Are You Making These Web3 Resume Mistakes? - Find Out Here
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