Two friends who have been gaming partners for four years without ever meeting face-to-face have finally met one another in real life.
25-year-old Bjetka Zmelikova from Prague and 26-year-old Jacob Stewart, an American residing in London, first encountered each other virtually in 2020 during an online match of Among Us.
Throughout the pandemic, the duo racked up over 1000 hours of shared online gaming, enjoying countless games together.
However, in a heartwarming twist, Bjetka and Jacob have now met in person after Bjetka took a trip from Prague to see Jacob in London.
Bjetka recounted being introduced to the online game by her sister and connecting with Jacob through a Discord chat dedicated to the game.
“Covid for me meant that basically everything was cancelled, and so I spent a lot of my time gaming online,” she said, detailing how the friendship with Jacob provided crucial support during the isolating lockdown period, aiding her mental health through their online interactions.
Jacob, who is set to get married next year and had extended an invitation to Bjetka, expressed his surprise at getting to meet her in advance of the wedding.
“I thought that would be the first time we’d meet in person,” he said, “so the chance to have this meet up before then makes it even more special – we’re even going to do a mini stag do whilst she’s here in London.”
The two avid gamers had come together to take part in Hisense’s Game At First Sight event held at Aures in Waterloo, London. Gamers from all corners of the globe were gathered for an epic first-time meet-up to dive into the fresh releases of C2 Ultra and PX3 Pro.
Among the virtual gaming pals invited to the event were a duo who’ve been friends online for 15 years, but have never met. Luke Brewton, a 36-year-old from Hailsham, and Edd Pearson, 44, hailing from Hertfordshire have spoken almost every day for the last 15 years, but this was their first time meeting in person.
Edd shared his excitement: “We’ve been there for each other through the births of our children, our relationship breakdowns, all sorts of life’s ups and downs. It’s crazy to think we’re only now meeting each other in person for the first time.”
Also making their first real-world connection were Robyn Bruce from East Kilbride in Scotland, and Stefica Schwarz from Montreal in Canada, who although they had never met face-to-face, already considered each other their best friend.
The event was hosted by online gaming celebs Mr Gibbon from Ireland, boasting a hefty following of over 100k on Twitch, and the UK’s own Anna Demetriou. Despite being familiar with each other in the digital realm, this was also their first actual meetup.
Mr Gibbon, reflecting on the event, said: “Hosting this event has been amazing as I don’t think people realise how much online gaming leads to people forming really strong friendships.”
An overwhelming three-quarters of gamers say they’ve created meaningful relationships with mates they’ve met virtually through online games. With many saying the online gaming community has been a way to combat loneliness and get them through rough patches.
“Having online friends that you game with, for many, can really help improve mental well-being, with them providing a support network that many might struggle to find in their offline lives,” adds Gibbon.
Chris Joughin, spokesperson from Hisense, commented: “The online gaming community has become an essential space for fostering connections and reducing feelings of isolation, especially in a world that’s increasingly digital.”
“Through shared experiences, gamers are able to form meaningful relationships that transcend geographical boundaries.”