Press Space Bar to Chat: Video Games as a Third Space
- Autumn Brooks
- May 12
- 3 min read
The act of gathering in a shared space is the foundation of a community’s thriving health, but with the rapid pace and scale of technological advancement, it is difficult to ignore how it is altering socialization. This group conversation and bonding is often done in Third Spaces, which are places outside of the workplace and home designated for informal socialization and leisure. The most typical Third Spaces include libraries, parks, cafes, arcades, etc, and most of these are common to college campuses. However, there is a growing fear that these physical Third Spaces are dying out in the United States as people have moved to digital spaces and activities to spend their leisure time. This fear is strong, particularly for younger generations, as exposure to technology and the internet begins at younger ages than before. Social media, television, and video games are the most common digital culprits to blame for this decrease in Third Spaces. However, when considering video games specifically, a parallel emerges between multiplayer video games and physical Third Spaces as a place to congregate. Video games should not just be dismissed as a threat to these cherished in-person locations; rather, understanding how video games can mirror this community gathering is essential to adapt to the expanding reach of technology.
Third Spaces are mainly defined by a few of the following characteristics: their ability to provide an equal space regardless of one’s social status, having a sense of home and warmth, and their emphasis on a friendly and playful atmosphere. Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs) especially reflect these key features. The most popular MMOs include World of Warcraft, the Final Fantasy franchise, Baldur’s Gate III, RuneScape, Roblox, and many more. Despite the differences in genre and objective, all of the listed games, and all MMOs, incorporate communication and collaboration into their structure. Whether it is through small group quests, voice or text chatting, or large servers, these interactions are a vital mechanic to advance in the game. By incorporating these features, video games have transformed into a digital type of Third Space.
There is a more understated benefit of this digital Third Space for those who already struggle with in-person interactions. For people who grapple with the challenges of in-person interactions due to sensitivity, shyness, social anxiety, or any other inhibiting condition, video games can provide the platform to still forge connections and improve their social abilities. The leisurely and casual nature of video games lessens the pressures of real-world social status, as it becomes irrelevant in a digital landscape where everyone shares the same base role: a player. Video games are also a space where there is a guaranteed collective shared interest, and finding this interest proves to be a great obstacle in developing connections in person. As the socio-political climate of this country becomes more polarized and turbulent, people find a sense of relaxation by connecting in an environment independent of this climate, mirroring the lightened nature of physical Third Spaces. It is a platform that is more forgiving if errors are made since chat logs or in-game faults are temporary, providing potential social learning opportunities.
Acknowledging the pitfalls of video game usage is necessary, as an excessive amount of time spent gaming can lead people away from in-person interactions entirely, and some people will abuse this social aspect of MMOs for cruelty; this consequence is universal amongst all technological use. It is ultimately dependent on each player whether or not they will fully realize their opportunity to connect with similar individuals and grow their conversational abilities. However, the knowledge that video games provide this path for social growth and deep connection as a digital Third Space can provide new insights into how Third Spaces are not entirely disappearing, but evolving for a digitized society.
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