Get your Game On this Valentine’s Day

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New research from EE has revealed that more than a quarter of Brits are in a gaming relationship, playing together at least once a week, and nearly two in three use online gaming to boost their romantic relationships [1]. As an alternative to traditional date nights at the cinema or going out for dinner, online gaming can be a cost-effective way to spend engaging and quality time together. While traditional nights are a one-off cost for a few hours of fun together, online games can be purchased for the same price of less – but enjoyed again and again. With cost-of-living at an all-time high, picking up a new game together on Zeus eXchange (ZeusX) could be a Valentine’s gift that keeps on giving throughout the year.

Some of the top complaints around gaming in relationships are “my partner would rather play video games than be with me” and “dating a gamer is lonely.” If you are a gamer yourself, you need to be mindful of this – but one way to combat it might be to involve your partner more in your hobby. This can directly combat the concerns raised, by creating space for quality time and building the connection that they are craving. In having a healthy relationship with video games, this can remove the historical negativity.

Is it good for couples to game together?

As humans, we’re all intrinsically motivated to do things that are engaging and bring us joy. Online gaming can not only do this but also supports the development of teamwork – allowing you to develop a deeper connection and build trust. In addition to this, gaming creates an environment for working together towards a shared goal. This creates confidence that you can navigate the challenges faced within life, celebrate your successes, and come out the other side as a stronger team [2].

If your partner is a frequent gamer, perhaps you could join them and gain a new hobby this Valentine’s Day? EE’s research also highlighted that over half of Brits found online gaming could diffuse tension and bring peace within relationships. If you’re new to gaming, or gaming as a couple, using a hyper-personalized and community focused gaming ecosystem such as ZeusX can help you to find a game that appeals to you both. Whatever you pick, it should ideally be a game that involves cooperation to promote bonding, or strategy and coordination that can help enhance your communication as a couple.

Top tips for a gaming relationship

If this is your plan for Valentine’s Day 2025, here’s some top tips from gaming couple Adam Lyne and Jessie Jackson:

• Be patient - try not to get frustrated if your partner isn’t yet an expert at your preferred game or gaming genre. This might be easier if you find a new game to start from scratch together – if you normally play Roblox, why not try a role-play game like Wuthering Waves?

• Schedule time to spent together and strike a balance between gaming and doing other activities; variety is the spice of life!
Keep trying something new – you might want to play a specific game or genre on a specific day or rotate your ‘main’ game every week or two.
• Incorporating tips from psychology more widely, be mindful of the below to ensure that it doesn’t become an unhealthy addiction [3]. Set a time limit for gaming, and make sure you have clear priorities - setting aside enough time to take care of your day-to-day responsibilities. You should also make sure that spending quality time with your partner is of a higher importance than the game itself, to ensure their feelings are considered and they don’t begin to feel neglected.

Creating the perfect date night

Now you know what not to do, if you think your partner might be interested in gaming too – here’s how you can bring your dreams of a gaming date night to life.

1. Create a shortlist of five new-to-you games using the ZeusX platform – try to make sure there’s a good variety of genres and types of game.

2. Write down your list on a post it and buy a gift card to cover the cost of one or two games.

3. Head to the shops and get some of their favourite drinks and snacks, you could put it together in a ‘Boo Basket’ if you’re feeling extra boujee.

4. Give your partner the treats, gift card and shortlist of games and ask them to pick what appeals most to them – then enjoy!

Finding new relationships

If you’re single this Valentine’s Day and wondering how your passion for gaming can help you – don’t fret. Other research has found that for people who are particularly shy or emotionally sensitive, online gaming can help them overcome this, generating new relationships as well as strengthening current ones [4].

Simultaneously, gamers typically have a higher level of neuroplasticity regardless of age, which helps improve cognitive capabilities in everyday life [5]. There really are no downsides, whether you’d like to build your own virtual universe and share experiences with friends in Roblox, walk through a story-rich fantasy world in Wuthering Waves, or take down the enemy in Call of Duty – there truly is something for everyone on ZeusX.

Top games to consider

As we’ve mentioned throughout, if you want to get your partner into gaming – it might be best to start something from scratch. Acknowledge their willingness to step out of their comfort zone and pick something that’s new to you too.

Simulation / Multiplayer Online Game

- Roblox
- Growtopia
- Warframe

Role-Play

- Wuthering Waves
- Genshin Impact
- Zenless Zone Zero
- Honkai: Star Rail
- Grand Theft Auto V
- One Piece Bounty Rush
- Dragon Ball Legends
- Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle
- 7 Deadly Sins
- Raid: Shadow Legends
- Epic 7
- One Piece Treasure Cruise
- Goddess of Victory: Nikke
- Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade

Strategy

- Clash of Clans
- Valorant
- Survivor
- Rise of Kingdoms

Battle Royale

- Fortnite
- Mobile Legends
- Call of Duty Mobile
- PUBG Mobile

Quizzing & Trivia
- B.S.

Bibliography

[1]
EE, “EE reveals how online gaming boosts romantic relationships ahead of Valentine's Day,” EE Newsroom, 10 February 2023. [Online]. Available: https://newsroom.ee.co.uk/ee-reveals-how-online-gaming-boosts-romantic-relationships-ahead-of-valentines-day/. [Accessed 6 February 2025].
[2]
R. Estlein, A. Gewirtz-Meydan and E. Opuda, “Love in the time of COVID-19: A systematic mapping review of empirical research on romantic relationships one year into the COVID-19 pandemic,” Family Process, vol. 61, no. 3, pp. 1208-1228, 2022.
[3]
C. Szasz-Janocha, M. Magann, H. Gold, K. Lindenberg, P. Delfabbro and D. L. King, “Problem gaming-related harm experienced by partners and parents of individuals with gaming problems and their help-seeking experiences,” Journal of Behavioral Addictions, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 137-147, 2023.
[4]
R. Kowert, E. Domahidi and T. Quandt, “The Relationship Between Online Video Game Involvement and Gaming-Related Friendships Among Emotionally Sensitive Individuals,” Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, vol. 17, no. 7, pp. 447-453, 2014.
[5]
A. Kovbasiuk, P. Lewandowska, A. Brzezicka and N. Kowalcyzk-Grebska, “Neuroanatomical predictors of complex skill acquisition during video game training,” Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 16, p. 834954, 2022.