When you think of the word social, you think of people being out, meeting their friends, social is a word that conjures images of groups of people being together and having fun. And Social Games aim to do exactly that, but on a global scale with potentially millions of people all at the same time enjoying the same virtual space.

Playing games with others has been around since the dawn of computers and consoles, with the rise of the internet this developed into something much more open and with a larger audience. The first really open games were of a different genre, those games called Massive Multiplayer Online, or MMO games. Often more of a male orientated game set in a fantasy or action world they had stories and places for people to interact and engage in the game.

But as the internet and technology advanced, so too the audience changed. Computers were not just for boys anymore, many more people and groups were starting to become involved, and it started to create a need for different games, doing different things. In some cases, chat rooms started to run stories, and put up pictures to support them. These then moved on to the text simulation games we see today where you can enjoy a place specialized in what you like. Horse games for example has the website Howrse, and if you prefer fashion you have games like Lady Popular.

Following these more simulation games we started to see the rise of 3D virtual worlds, places where you had an avatar that you could change and dress the way you wanted, the biggest of these games is probably Second Life, or IMVU where there are millions of pepoel all online at the same time in a place where theyc an control and personalize every aspect of what they do.

But at the same time, they are doing it with other people, you go to a club and there will be players there, that you can choose to talk to. In some of these virtual games there are live gigs byt recognized bands and artists, suddenly you have thousands of players all in the same place watching the same thing, just inside a game.

And, generally speaking people being people they talk to each other, about their avatars, or the music, art or whatever is going on around them. This creates social interactions which can lead to friendships that last can take you to places you never would have dreamed.

But social games go much deeper than this, humans are creatures that like to be surrounded by others, we are social animals and many of these games provide a means of meeting people and being around others that may not otherwise be possible.

From making a casual friend request in a Facebook game to starting a meaningful relationship in a virtual paradise there are levels to these social games that are both shallow and deep. But no matter how far you to into them and how much you get out of them there is no denying that they can be fun, enlightening and incredible places to be, and we are very glad they exist.