How Has Social Media Benefitted Online Gaming?

by Adrian Gulliver

Gaming has gone through revolution after revolution, from the boom of the internet initially to the advancements that followed. The latest phenomenon to influence gaming is social media, both in terms of traditional PC and console gaming and modern modes of play like mobile phones.

But what has the advent of instant communication meant for those who play online casino games? The primary way in which social media has changed online casinos is that discourse has opened up. Social media is, essentially, – as its name suggests – a way for people to become more social.

Indeed, other forms of gaming have seen an increase in the social aspect of gaming, while social media allows customers to engage with companies who provide the games, companies who develop the games, and other people who may play the games.

Let’s take a look: 

You Can Talk to the Company

The main benefit of social media is that you can speak directly to those who provide your gaming experience. Many sites offer 24/7 customer support, with social media being included. A lot of companies use social listening techniques in order to find out what customers like or don’t like about their offering in order to change it to better fit their target consumer.

For example, if a game isn’t being played as much as expected, social media could indicate the reason why and allow developers and providers alike to give the best experience. When playing online casino, its important that what fans want are taken into account, such as tie-ins with popular franchises such as Aquaman, Gladiator, and the X-Files, all of which are playable at Casino.com.

You Can Talk to Each Other

Game sharing is another benefit of online gaming using social media as fans can share games and help one another, especially if strategic thinking is involved. Players can have access to each other’s digital libraries – and many find one another through sharing a similar interest on social media.

Many games nowadays develop followings, such as through live streaming on Twitch, which allows players and spectators to work together to create a holistic and mutually beneficial gaming experience.

Players can also talk to one another, reminiscing good points of games and speaking about what they might want to be changed. And the companies can listen. The re-release of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro for consoles is an example of the online community talking loudly enough to one another that a Sony executive ended up hearing.   

Source: Pixabay

And the Company Can Talk to You

Social media can also be beneficial for games companies too. The companies can share with customers new games being released, any changes made, and communicate key brand messages which makes the customer feel important and part of the feedback loop.

By being able to speak directly with their players, companies can mitigate against costly decisions by having a focus group on hand to determine whether each move is the right one. By intuitively listening to their fans, games developers are able to tailor the game to those who will end up playing it. Social media is a good tool for businesses to develop strategies to further their business position and profitability.

Social media has been a fantastic invention that has allowed shortcuts to be made to enhance certain industries – online gaming being one example. The two-way nature of social media means that it benefits not just the company but the end consumer, meaning both win as the company sells their games and the player is able to play the game they want to.