Forget the sticky floors and pricey pints; a seismic shift is rocking the way millions of young Australian men socialise, and the pub is losing the battle to the video gaming universe.
In a new Logitech G study, conducted in partnership with the independent research firm Antenna Insights, we’ve unearthed a dramatic cultural shift: the majority (61%) of Gen Z Australian men (18-24 years old) now prefer connecting with their friends through online gaming rather than hitting the local pub or bar.
Our study, which surveyed over 1,500 Australians aged 18-45, also discovered that nearly half (49%) of all 18-24-year-old respondents favour a video gaming night in with their friends over going out to the pub. On a broader scale, the same can be said for one-third (34%) of all 18-45-year-olds.
The data is undeniable: the days of the ‘traditional’ Friday night out are being replaced by the convenience and camaraderie of the digital world. More specifically, the tide is turning on gaming being considered an antisocial pastime, with it now being an ideal social watering hole to boost friendship satisfaction.
Three key factors are significantly driving this shift: its affordability (according to 54% of respondents who chose video games), relaxing benefits (47%), and convenience in organising compared to other activities (42%). In other words, forget coordinating Ubers, arguing over venues and spending a bomb on drinks.
With meeting at the pub or bar becoming too costly and out of reach for many young Australians, many are looking to other options for community building.
Our team at Logitech G says our survey findings are a sign of the times, with online gaming acting as a key facilitator of social connection, particularly among the younger Australian male cohort.
“Online gaming has cemented itself as a powerful engine for building and strengthening friendships, with Logitech G’s study directly proving this,” remarked Daniel Hall, Senior Category Manager for Logitech G in Australia & New Zealand.
“Although in-person catch-ups will forever have a role to play, video games are providing an essential platform for digital socialising in Australia and beyond. It allows friends to connect more frequently than they otherwise would, ultimately leading to more long-lasting social bonds.”
Australia’s Second-Favourite “Third Space” for Social Connection
In this Logitech G study, we also discovered that online gaming is rapidly becoming one of Australia’s top “third spaces” – defined as a go-to hub (online or in-person) outside of home and work that drives social connection and fosters community.
Just over one in six Australians (18%) consider online gaming — including PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and mobile gaming platforms — to be their primary third space. This ranked second only to cafes and restaurants, which came in first place at 32%, while pubs and bars came in third place at 16%. More traditional social activities (such as sporting teams and community groups) all came in at under 9%.
This trend is even more pronounced among Gen Z men, with 38% describing online gaming as their primary third space for connecting with their social circles.
What’s more is that frequent gamers enjoy significantly more social time with friends each week compared to those who rarely game – 3.8 hours more to be specific.
“The data demonstrates that frequent gamers enjoy the highest friendship satisfaction out of any cohort, especially for daily male gamers. Evidently, online gaming is a sure way to deepen existing friendships, but it also has the potential to spark new social connections beyond established social circles,” Hall added.
An overwhelming 73% of gamers also rely on online play to maintain long-distance friendships, proving its unique ability to keep relationships thriving across physical barriers.
We conducted this study following the the recent launch of our A20 X Gaming Headset, powered by PLAYSYNC technology. This enables players to easily switch between consoles with a single button press, as the research found that players often have different friend groups for different games.
In a world where social connection is more important than ever, we’re proud to see the growing and positive role that gaming is playing through digital platforms shaping contemporary Australian Gen Z male friendships.
