Online gaming is all about community, so in addition to the in-game chat and Messenger-based invitation ability of our new multiplayer games, we’ve been researching new social and community features for both the games and our site in general. That's part of what makes online gaming what it is.

Gaming is so cool that it’s practically mandatory, and being good at games can be a great social boon. Gaming does Google's recent in-game advertising patent present a dream come true for marketers, a nightmare for gamers, or something in between. Gaming communities are powerful, profitable, and yet very fragile. Gaming, the firm notes is one of the fastest growing of all entertainment sectors, outstripping feature films in terms of revenue generation. Gaming is inherently social and playing games has been closely linked with building relationships and social hierarchies throughout history.

Games can be immersive for a lot of different reasons. Online games refer to video games that are played over some form of computer network, most commonly the Internet. Online games can range from simple text based games to games incorporating complex graphics and virtual worlds populated by many players simultaneously. Many online games have associated online communities, making online games a form of social activity beyond single player games.

Clearly, online gaming has made its mark as a feature of the Internet that is here to stay. Originally, however, the online gaming audience consisted solely of die-hard players who were willing to put up with difficult installation and expensive fees. Without looking into the positive implications of online gaming, this rising percentage could be alarming and fearful, for it presents a picture that children will be spending more time in front of a computer, limiting the amount of face-to-face interaction that these children experience.