Everyone does it, whether they like to admit it or not. You do it. I do it. Hamza does it (sometimes several times a day). It's not that we're all lonely, or even that we can't find anybody to do it with, it's just sometimes you'd just rather sit and play with yourself all day then have someone else ruin the mood. It's nothing to be ashamed of. But is it better to play with yourself, better to get someone else to play with you, or is it all just a matter of opinion?

For some people playing with others is the only way to play, whether the others want to play with them or not. You know these people, these, "rapists" of multi-player games. Team-killers, homophobes, racists, and misogynists, the sole purpose of these players is to come into your gaming bubble, whether online with friends or online alone, and destroy your sense of safety and security. Why did this happen to me, you'll ask as you get tea-bagged by a high pitched scream from the other side of the screen, mindlessly shouting profane words that they probably don't fully understand. Why would they do this? You may ask, as you feel the violation of your gaming experience settling in. Why?

For some people, this is the only way they've learned to play games. The single player experience just doesn't "do it" for them, leaving them frustrated and unspent, and they need to lash out at the society that doesn't understand their struggles with "reading," and "following the story," and "comprehension skills." In a bizarre twist of irony, people who play like this also end up getting even more angry when confronted with someone who plays similar, so that game matches more often than not end up in an unintelligible screaming match where volume usually ends up as the deciding factor over skill and ability. This is unpleasant for not only those involved, but especially the innocent bystanders who were just trying to get a quickey in, but end up leaving feeling beaten down and worthless.


You're not having as much fun as these guys.

Another set of people who play are the "casual encounters". They like to play solo occasionally, but getting online and hooking up is what they really like to do. Friends, strangers, furries, it doesn't matter, these players will hook up with anything to have a good time. Some are really good at playing with themselves, and bring this over to the multiplayer side, and it shows, while some aren't so good and have to try and cover it up with braggadio and swagger, but in the end they're all there to "just have a little fun." Generally this type won't force you into anything you don't want to do, and will explain different "rules" and "techniques", anything to help you help them get a little bit more out of the game.

Unfortunantly, this type can get clingy and attached, and often become emotional and hurt if you start spending more time playing with yourself then with them. Even explaining that sometimes you just need some time to play with yourself because it's relaxing and fun, and gives you that sense of accomplishment that you can't always get with others is difficult, because you may accidently (or not) make them feel less about themselves and bring their inadequacies to the surface. More often than not, the only way to rid oneself of this is to make a clean break, and ignore the hurt, and eventually hurtful, messages they send remaniscing about how much fun you used to have together, and how much fun they're now having with their "new" friends, and how much they miss you and just want to get back together, just one more time. This is a trick, and will just make it that much harder the next time.


Spends a lot of time at home. By himself. Playing with himself. Until he asks if you want to see his pokeballs, he's usually harmless.

Finally, and finally on topic, are the soloists. Online happens occasionally with this group, but more often than not they stay home alone playing exclusively with themselves. Does this make them less of a person then those who go out and randomly hook up to play? No, and in fact the soloist oftentimes has different and better experiences than those who go out to the same game over and over again. There's more games out there than the popular game of the month, you know, and being a solo player means that you're more willing to get out and try the older, not so pretty games, then being a slavish follower of the new sexy of the month.

Being willing to take a chance on a game that only you will play is also freeing, as you don't necessarily have to tell anyone about it. Some people reading have games like this, secret obsessions that no one will ever hear about, but they can't stop playing and won't as long as they're not found out. You can experiment with different styles and different techniques, and if you aren't doing good with one type, you can always switch back to how you were doing it before. Also, not having to rely on someone else to even show up can be nice, as there's also no chance of you standing yourself up. You can play with yourself early in the morning, all through the night, and even right after lunch on Sunday. No one can tell you no.

So, is playing with yourself more fun than messing around with others? Depending on the circumstances, I believe it can be, as you don't have to wait for anyone, the only person you have to please is yourself, and the amount of enjoyment you get out of the experience is up to you.