Spotlights
[Research News] How Competitive Gaming on Discord Fosters Social Connections
A Japanese Splatoon community reveals how online play has become a social third place
While digital games are frequently dismissed as isolating, recent research suggests they are powerful engines for social connection. A study by Assistant Professor Mattias van Ommen from the Faculty of Social Studies and his former student Mr. Ginga Yahanashi examined a Japanese Discord community centered around the competitive game Splatoon 3. Rather than just a hub for gameplay tips, the researchers found that the community evolved into a vital "third space" for its members.
Reference
van Ommen, M., & Yahanashi, G. (2025). Finding Belonging in Competitive Play: How a Japanese Splatoon Discord Community Functions as a Third Place. Social Media + Society, 11(4).
https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051251399015
For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.
https://research.doshisha.ac.jp/news/news-detail-91/
This achievement has also been featured in the “EurekAlert!.”
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1117087
Image title: How online gaming communities act as places for social connections
Image caption: Online gaming spaces illustrate how Discord communities can function as social third places, beyond home and work.
Image credit: Valentin Ottone from Flickr
Image source:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/24450277@N06/3605180954
License: CC BY 2.0
Usage restrictions: Credit must be given to the creator.
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