Long-distance relationships are probably one of the biggest demystified taboos of our generation. Due to the changes in social interactions and lack of meaningful friendships due to real-world issues, forming deep long-lasting friendships through the internet has become a new normal for many individuals from all walks of life, all over the globe. The idea that “Your online friend” was probably a serial killer, a human trafficker, or maybe a demon hoping to take your soul, has been left mostly behind. Of course, we do not condone oversharing of information, and certainly, never sign any contracts that ask for your immortal soul, but a few games of Super Smash Brothers would not hurt at all. In fact, it might even lead to something else entirely. Maybe even... marriage?

To those lone rangers out there who play mostly single-player games, this might seem like a ridiculous idea, but for many people, online games have proven to be a real way to find a life-long companion, and really, what’s the difference between walking into a bar, chatting up some rando and then exchange numbers to exchanging email addresses or Discord tags over a game of World of Warcraft?

Playing MMORPGs, Minecraft or maybe more competitive games can lead to many budding relationships for many individuals, sometimes making it even easier than in person, as there’s already a shared interest in video games. At times, these relationships can happen between people in entirely different continents, which can create extended periods of separation, and given the high prices of plane tickets, a lot of couples decide to marry in as little as a year after starting their relationship.

In a study published by RapidVisa, a great increase in K-1 Fiance Visas applications is reflected, and while there appears to be a certain decrease by the end of 2018, it isn’t unnatural to expect these numbers to increase once more. The study shows that “Over the past 30 years, K-1 fiancé visa issuances have increased by 75%, and recent Census data reveal that 21% of all married-couple households in the U.S. have at least one foreign-born spouse.”

There are many ways that these couples meet online, be it through dating sites or social media. As a matter of fact, the study shows that only 2.3% of its sample size meets through online games, and even then, they also report meeting through multiple mediums, such as social media. However, unlike social media, gaming doesn’t pull the same amount of diversity.

“Unlike social media and dating site mediums, a significant plurality of gaming fiancés are from Europe (40.2 percent) or Canada (15.2 percent). Asian fiancés account for only 24 percent of this gaming group of couples, in stark contrast to other online media discussed”

The reason for this is based on the idea that online games work by matching players in the closest servers available, in order to decrease lag and connectivity issues.

“The sparse data available describing which games fiancés report meeting on suggest a fractured medium, but also reinforce some of the conclusions drawn above. The top five games are all MMORPGs requiring partitioned servers by region to effectively operate. Of these, World of Warcraft commands nearly a tenth of the market, while newer games such as League of Legends and Game of War round out the top three. Importantly, many of these games emphasize a team-building component: World of Warcraft is a team adventure game that encourages in-game partnerships and friendships, while League of Legends is an e-sport where teams compete together against other teams. This inter-player relationship focus is likely the reason they make the list over more individual-based gaming options.”

In an interview I had with Ben Ives, founder & CEO of RapidVisa provided more insight into the topic:

GT: Tell me more about RapidVisa and how they got started?

BI: I met my wife online, she’s from the Philippines, so I started wondering how to bring her to the US legally. As I looked over the immigration process, I realized how complicated it was and decided there was a good business opportunity. Over time, I wrote the Software and set everything up.

GT: What made you want to do your latest report?

BI: Last year was our 10th year in business, and we realized that we have a lot of data. So we decided to have the numbers crunched and the data taken a look at. After anonymizing the data, we went through it in order to better understand our demographic of K-1 applicants”

GT: Was the most surprising fact in the report the fact that people are meeting through online gaming?

BI: It is surprising until you think about it. When you realize how big gaming has become, why wouldn’t they? It’s always been throughout time, where people gather, romantic relationships come through that, and I suspect it will continue to grow, just like gaming has grown over the years.

GT: Please discuss some of the data findings around gaming on making international love connections?

BI: We got the top 5 games shown in our report, but even beyond that, there are so many other games where people could meet.

GT: Why do you think the world of gaming works for people to find a potential mate?

BI: I think it’s because, it’s always important to have a common interest. Couples are not only interested in gaming, but also the same type of game that the other person is playing. So there’s already something there for a couple to go from. Gaming for a lot of people is more than just a passive thing, you’re not a gamer twice a year. So if there’s a passion for gaming, then there’s part of the relationship done.

GT: Do you believe that Asian regions are more prone to online dating through games?

BI: The numbers show that there are significantly more Asian gamers. However, with our customer base, it seems to be more European or American. However, the numbers could be skewed due to server locations in games. There may be more relationships in Asia, but we’re currently not looking at those numbers.

GT: What’s the average relationship time couples have expressed before getting engaged?

BI: Because we have to ask for so much information, we’re always careful not to ask questions that could make people feel like we’re prying into their personal lives. My personal perception is that many of these couples decide to pull the trigger in a shorter than average time due to the separation. However, we do not have any hard numbers on it.

GT: How many of those couples have successfully gone through the immigration process?

BI: Based on the data shown in the report, I’d calculate about 1100 people for 2019, just from our company.

Mr. Ives expressed that given the fractured nature of online gaming, it is difficult to find more concrete information. However, these but symptoms of an ever-growing and popular medium, that for all intents and purposes, has become much more than just a way to kill an afternoon. The couples that grew and found love through these and many other games, will no doubt have very interesting stories to tell. We can only hope, that their relationships are and remain healthy and fulfilling.

Source: International Dating Trends: An Inside Look at How K-1 Visa Couples Meet