Social Gamer 

A type of gamer, usually one that interacts with others that they know in real life. Social gamers mainly use consoles to video game, as in contract to "mainstream" gamers, who sit on their computers all day and lack social skills.

"Pat and I are Social Gamers, we just like to get on Xbox for a little fun every once in a while."

Social Gamer by JustNuclear January 7, 2015

Social Gamer 

Facebook user who wastes inordinate amount of time on Flash-based games. Such games typically have cute anime characters with huge eyes and tiny mouths/bodies.

Social gamers enjoy hours of useless tasks such as clicking endlessly to gain game points or "money" (such as coins, gold, jewels, etc.). They even spend real money on non-real (digital) game objects such as pink tractors or green polka-dotted pets.

Social gamers seem also to delight in annoying the heck out of non-gamer Facebook users who get constantly bombarded with requests to help out with their farm, island, pet, etc. (Or maybe they're just totally unaware how much the constant requests annoy other users.)

Social gamers clutter up Facebook with lots of useless updates and requests.

Without social gamers a lot less time would be wasted on Facebook.

Social Gamer by Spellking July 30, 2010

Social Game Theory

The application of game theory to everyday interpersonal and social dynamics—friendship, reputation, gossip, dating, and office politics. It decodes the unspoken rules and strategies behind why you buy a round of drinks, how gossip spreads, or the subtle dance of a flirtation. It treats social life as a series of iterated games where the payoff is social capital, trust, or mating success.

Example: “Explaining why I always help my neighbor move his couch, my friend used social game theory: ‘It’s an iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma. You cooperate (help) to build trust and reciprocal cooperation. If you defect (refuse), you save an afternoon but lose future help and damage your reputation in our social network. The couch isn’t furniture; it’s a token in a long-term trust game.’”

Social Game Theory by Abzunammu February 2, 2026

Game Social Sciences

The study of how human behavior manifests in game contexts, from cooperation in team games to cheating in solitaire (we've all done it). It examines why players form guilds and clans (tribalism extends to pixels), why some people rage-quit (emotional regulation issues, usually), and why virtual economies develop real-world value (people will pay actual money for a digital sword if it makes them feel powerful). Game social sciences reveal that games are not escapes from society; they're societies in miniature, with all the same drama, just with more loot.

Example: "A game social sciences study examined why players in an online game formed a powerful guild that dominated the server. The answer: the guild leader was a charismatic former middle manager who applied corporate team-building techniques to orc-slaying. Members reported feeling 'valued' and 'productive,' which are not words usually associated with sitting in front of a screen for six hours."

Game Social Sciences by Nammugal February 14, 2026