In today’s world, we can travel further whilst staying more connected to those we leave behind than at any other point in human history. Journeying to the other side of the world is now as simple as taking a 24-hour flight rather than a months-long sea voyage. And, instead of relying on physical mail traveling great distances, we can communicate with each other in real time using the internet. All of this has the potential to bring us closer together into a real global community. But the fact remains that, when you live hours away from your loved ones, it can still feel too distant.
Many of us move away from where we grew up to pursue different careers, lifestyles, relationships and opportunities; this can lead to a close friendship group being scattered to the four winds with little hope of seeing each other in the flesh more than once a year. Maintaining those core relationships is of vital importance if you want to live a happy and fulfilled life, so cultivating connection even when you’re separated should be a priority.
So, what can be done about it?
One idea is to form an online gaming group with your nearest and dearest, and challenge each other to regular competition wherever you happen to be in the world and whichever time zone that’s in. If you know each other well enough, then a friendly rivalry can bring out new sides to your friendship and help you to feel like you’re hanging out whilst still miles apart. This, in turn, will leave you happier and more grounded, freeing up more energy and brain space for you to dedicate to work or other pursuits.
Here are some of the titles we recommend for playing online with friends, whether that’s over PC, mobile device or games console.
At-Home Casino Night
Whether you want to don your glad rags in your living room or dress down to concentrate on the task at hand, playing classic casino games with your friends promises to be a lot of fun. Since the Poker Boom of the early 2000s, online poker has become an incredibly popular pastime across the globe, with many of the most successful poker players getting their start online. Whilst your friendship group might not have any plans on making the pro circuit, a regular game of poker together can still provide enough challenge to keep you all interested time after time.
Online home game platforms from established names in the industry such as PokerStars, offer key features including video chat and club management tools. This means that you can stay in immediate contact during your games, giving you the feeling of being together again whilst you attempt to defeat one another. Management tools give you control over every aspect of your group, allowing you to customize it to your exact specifications and only invite the inner circle to play.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
For the keen video gamers among you, Nintendo’s latest Pokémon release could be the very thing to introduce to your gang. Available on the Nintendo Switch, this open world multiplayer RPG allows you to meet up with friends and strike out to collect Pokémon together. Unlike previous titles, the multiplayer mode is certainly not an afterthought in this game. Rather, it’s a big part of the gameplay. You can connect with up to three friends using your Switch Online subscription and then explore the beautiful world of the Paldea region alongside one another.
Available activities include catching Pokémon and trading with each other, battling against others in your group, advancing through the story, and even leveling up the unusual Finizen. For a light-hearted yet well formulated game to play together with friends, it doesn’t get much better than this new adventure from Nintendo.
Minecraft
Unless you’ve played this game before, you might be puzzled by its inclusion on this list. Released way back in 2011, this sandbox survival game has taken on a life of its own, becoming the bestselling video game in the history of the world. Quite a claim! The secret to Minecraft’s popularity is the almost limitless opportunities for creativity and customization that it presents to players. Whether you prefer to play on Peaceful or Hard mode, and favor creating a cozy village or a reimagining of Manhattan, the Minecraft world is your oyster.
Multiplayer mode means that you and your friends can all exist in the same world together, mining resources, building structures or fighting enemies. The game can be a great place to hang out and just play in a hassle-free open environment with as much or as little effort as you like.