Online gamers are a unique breed of people. They are avid gamers, technologically competent, and social people. Because of this unique blend of people that play online games, there is a unique need for a very distinct type of online community that will support and enhance these online gamers. An online community supporting online gamers must be very social and interactive. Games such as Guild Wars and World of Warcraft demand social interaction with their players, and they require that players work in groups or in teams to complete objectives within the game. An online community should also try and replicate this same model within an online forum.
It only makes sense that an online gamer who enjoys the gameplay of their favorite game would be drawn to a website or online forum that was similar to the gameplay used in their favorite game. An online gamer may not like a plain text website model because they are used to interacting with colorful graphics. An online gamer will probably not like a 2-dimensional website because they are used to looking at 3-dimensional images while they play their games. If you truly want to foster an online community for online gamers, then you have to meet them where they are. You have to give them what they want and create a welcoming and inviting space on their terms. You have to create a social gaming platform that will deliver their community needs in a simple yet creative format.
Online gamers are also slaves to speed. They buy the latest in computing technology because they want the PC that will blaze them into the next levels with no stalling or delays. They spend the most money on a fast internet connection and a super fast router because they do not want any downtime in their internet connection and, thus, in their online game. They spend the extra money to pay online access fees to their favorite games because they cannot live without them. You will need to take that into consideration when developing your online community because you cannot create a community that is slow and unresponsiveness and expect to attract online gamers. Your community needs to be state-of-the-art, cutting-edge, and fast if you expect to draw a crowd. Online gamers are a special breed but if you understand their needs and wants, you can cater to them!
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