Words by Katiee McKinstry. Art by Sam Liacos.
Now more than ever, people are taking to video games as a source of anxiety relief, but also as a way to connect with others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s harder than ever to find love—or even just date.
It’s the reason why multiplayer games like Among Us have done incredibly well this in 2020 as they connect people from around the world in a fun and interactive way. With all of this in mind, why shouldn’t a popular video game crossover into the dating app territory? You’re already meeting, and chatting, with other people, likely from outside of your own social bubble. All that’s left to add is a little chemistry.
Ball Ground State graduate and Stage Manager Breinne Mudrack really enjoys playing Among Us and actually met a guy she’s been seeing while playing.
“I started playing Among Us in October and I joined just a random lobby,” Mudrack said. “I played a few rounds and this player said to add him on Snapchat. So I said okay, and if he’s creepy I’ll just take him off. He then added me to this snapchat group called ‘Mungst Us.’ I thought that was cool because now I have more people to play with.”
After talking with his friends in their Snapchat group, they continued to play Among Us and began chatting one-on-one.
“He asked me where I lived, and I said Atlanta. He responded with, ‘No way… I live in Atlanta, I haven’t met any locals playing Among Us!’ Such a small world. He asked if I would be down to meet up in person at like a bar or something. I said sure, even though my introverted side was freaking out.”
The pair met at the bar and enjoyed getting to know each other, discovering that they had more in common than just their love of Among Us like their mutual love of football, though they root for different teams. While they remain friends, they continue to navigate their relationship—as well as the game—together. We love to see it.
Situations like Mudrack’s are happening every day all over the world. However, Among Us isn’t the only game that has sparked some flames. Meeting people while playing video games is not an entirely fresh concept.
In the latest season of the MTV reality series Catfish: the TV Show, Dianela met Jose while playing Black Ops III on her PS4 several years ago. The two became an on-and-off item, and she applied to Catfish to finally meet Jose in the flesh for the first time. . While Jose did not turn out to be who Dianela thought (hence: catfish!), it goes to show that so many people are meeting while gaming, and some of them even have forever love stories.
Three years ago, a Reddit thread about people who have fallen in love by meeting via video games began circulating. Reddit user Antifax met his fiancé while playing League of Legends. When the two first met, Antifax’s fiancé was dating someone else, but the two quickly became friends, finding out that they lived not 10 minutes away from one another. Antifax stopped playing League of Legends for six months, and when they came back to the game, their now-fiancé was single.
“I asked her out for a cup of coffee and she agreed,” Antifax wrote. “Now, at the time of asking her out, I had never seen a picture of her, didn’t know what she looked like, I had only spoken to her over Skype.”
Two years later, Antifax and his fiancé are happily engaged and still together. Antifax never knew what she looked like, and yet there was a strong connection they made simply from playing League of Legends together. The chemistry was so strong that after six months, they were able to finally meet in person and fall in love. For Antifax, they were never worried about what might happen meeting in person post-game. For Mudrack, however, it was a bit of a different story.
“I felt safe only because my roommate Alex came with me,” Mudrack said. “I definitely would not have gone if I had to go by myself. If it was a girl, then maybe I would have gone, but meeting a guy for the first time online is a little different.”
If you do meet someone via video game in real life, make sure that you go in a populated, public area. It’s important to put safety first in these situations, as you never know what could happen! Remember that episode of Catfish. On the flip side, you could end up falling in love or making a good friend.
Likewise, a current YouTube series called Love Made in Second Life, depicts how people have met playing a game called Second Life, which some may recognize as a game that Jim and Dwight have played from the US version of The Office.. It’s a virtual reality game where you can play as an avatar you design and chat with other people. It’s no surprise people are meeting, becoming pals, and finding romance!
So, is it possible to fall in love while gaming online? Absolutely. Is Among Us the new trendy dating app? We don’t see why not. Have fun playing, and stay safe out there!