Connecting Through Gaming: Exploring the Benefits of Voice Communication

Despite the boom in gaming and Esports going mainstream, gaming is still perceived negatively by some people. Since starting Metadox, we've encountered a bit of a negative attitude, especially from older generations.

Problems like addiction and aggression in gaming exist and need addressing. However, many who don’t play or haven’t played often miss out on seeing the positive aspects, even in terms of entertainment. There are quite a few studies, albeit some controversial, that highlight improvements in perceptual and cognitive skills from playing video games.

It's kind of funny how spending hours watching shows on Netflix or violent movies doesn't seem to get the same negative attention. Don’t get us wrong, we enjoy that too, but playing online with friends? That’s where the real fun is. It is even better when you add voice communication.

That is exactly what our soundproof masks fully support. Some of us in the Metadox team grew up in the early days of gaming, often playing solo. We know firsthand how valuable more social interaction would have been. For us, the benefits of playing together are undeniable. We believe these positives will become even more evident as today's gaming generations grow older, with online gaming becoming a favorite pastime for many grandmas and grandpas!

Playing with voice communication is clearly a healthier activity than playing alone on the phone. It's not only more fun but also more social, as some studies have shown. This thesis discusses that voice chat 'brought more positive emotions to the game rather than negative emotions'. It was also described as a 'superior communication method by causing most positive effects as well as causing less toxicity to happen'.

Another study concludes that voice radically transforms the experience of online gaming, making virtual spaces more intensely social. This older study discusses the impact of voice in online gaming and states that 'interaction effects suggest significantly higher levels of relationship strength and trust between voice-based guildmates when compared to the text condition'.

To be honest, we haven’t conducted detailed research on all that has been studied, but rather sought confirmation of our beliefs. Please consider this text as our opinion.

Following the idea that voice conversation is healthy, platforms like Discord are taking steps to support this. An article discusses the importance of human connection for well-being, especially for Gen Z who navigate both online and offline worlds: 'Gen Z mental health: Empowering conversation in an uncertain world'.

It seems that voice chat allows for better connections with other players, whether they are friends or someone unknown from another part of the world. It also enables the development of games where conversation is essential to the game mechanics or in 'social gaming'. Here is an informative article about social gaming.

What do you think? We'd love to hear more about your personal stories or opinions.