The value of 'found family': How a mobile game created a new friendship

Video games are appealing for many different reasons: They can provide fun and entertainment, plus stress relief and mental challenges, just to name a few. But many who enjoy playing video games are also drawn to their social aspect.

With a mobile game like MONOPOLY GO!, for example, social play and connection are central to game play — letting you join with friends as you play and talk about the game, or meet entirely new friends who can provide a sense of belonging and community.

This was especially true for Miriah and Dana, two strangers who lived several states away from one another, only meeting through an online group chat around MONOPOLY GO! What they didn't know was that they were soon to become not only close friends, but "found family."

Dana's story

One day when Dana reached a rocky point in her relationship with her ex-husband, it was suddenly necessary for her to find a new place to live. Unfortunately, Dana experienced only frustration as she searched for somewhere to go. She even vented her feelings about her dilemma within her MONOPOLY GO! chat group, whom she had come to view as friends.

"I'm calling places, and I'm looking for shelters," Dana said, "and finally I told the group what happened."

She didn't know that moment of sharing would become a turning point in her life.

Miriah's response

After Dana shared her plight with the online chat group, Miriah answered her almost immediately with a simple, heartfelt invitation.

"We have a room," Miriah messaged Dana. "Why don't you come here?"

Miriah's act of kindness turned into a lifeline for Dana, who had to drive through 10 states before they could finally meet in person, just in time to celebrate the Christmas holiday together. The two women quickly became close friends, with Dana becoming a grandmother figure for Miriah's children.

"She's just become like family," said Miriah. "We spend all day together."

"I've had close family," added Dana, "but I've never had a close friend like Miriah."

How video games can foster belonging

Whether you live near or far away, are old friends or new, playing games together can provide a bonding experience, along with the fun and joy of exploring the world of the game with other like-minded people.

In MONOPOLY GO!, a mobile game developed by Scopely and inspired by Hasbro's classic MONOPOLY game, players roll dice, move through colorful worlds, build landmarks and collect digital stickers. They can play whenever they have time, and friends do not need to be online together. The game provides many ongoing ways to interact — by helping one another, working toward shared rewards, trading stickers and playfully getting in each other's way. At its heart, MONOPOLY GO! is built around a simple idea: Friends are your most valuable asset.

Friends and family can play from different places, like Dana and Miriah did, and even on different schedules. Online communities and chat groups around the game — particularly on Discord — have become places where players trade stickers, find people to play with, share jokes and talk about their lives. For some players, the game becomes a welcome daily ritual, and the relationships built around it can extend beyond the game itself.

For Miriah and Dana, their relationship evolved well beyond playing, leading to them becoming more like family.

"If it hadn't been for MONOPOLY GO! I would have never met Miriah," observed Dana.

The game was just the catalyst, creating a meaningful, lasting connection between two strangers, and giving them a reason to remain part of each other's lives.

"When we have the opportunity to help other people, then we should," Miriah said. "I really think she's made a bigger impact on our lives than we have on hers."