Gaming culture matters. Here's why.

You might wonder why gaming culture? Why not just gaming? Or why not esports?

The reason is because I believe that gaming culture is infinite. It can truly live on. It is infectious. It goes beyond any game, any genre or any type of person or behavior.

Gaming culture impacts how we think, act and feel. It inspires and reflects in music, film, art, books, language and the way we form and build relationships.

It changes how we form bonds. Builds trust and companionship, connects us deeply and builds lifelong friends - even among people who have never met in 'real life'.

And this is true of people who play casually, people who play competitively, people who live in virtual worlds. It is true of the FPS gamer, the rhythm gamer, the MMO gamer and the platform gamer going for speedrun records.

We are all connected by gaming culture. We are deeply and equally passionate about it, too.

As a 40+ year old straight male, gaming means I can build connections and find common ground with people from all countries, who speak different languages, who are of all ages, sexes and preferences. It is one of the most powerful and potent reasons why gaming culture is so important.

In a world that divides us more and more, gaming is one of the few things that brings us together.