I jumped back on 5fm last week (SURPRISE). I’m back with my partner in crime, Justin Toerien, every Thursday night at around 10:30pm for #HotDrop – a show where we catch up on all things gaming. For the first episode I shared some of my favourite spots to find people to hang out with and play games with online. I thought I’d add that list to the blog to help those looking, as it will be a constant spot to immediately link out to. With most of us spending a huge amount of time at home now courtesy of the ‘Rona you’re likely starting to play even more games. For me, I’d usually jam with my brother or Player 2, but the problem was that neither of them were interested in playing Rainbow Six Siege, which was a game I wanted to learn to play.
It got me thinking, I can’t be alone in this. Most of us are probably looking for new people to jam with. I was lucky in that my friend Trinoc jumped in to help me but for others, you might not have a Trinoc. Here’s the spots I usually go to find people to jam with:
Shameless self punt
This is a bit of a shameless self punt, but I do think my discord is a pretty sweet spot if you want to find a variety of people interested in different games across numerous platforms. From PS4, Xbox and Nintendo Switch to the hardcore PC Gamers – there is someone here who likely plays on your platform. We also have a super diverse group of people who play a variety of titles. If you’re keen for Rainbow Six Siege or just want to visit random islands on Animal Crossing you’ll likely find what you’re looking for here. Click here to join if you’re keen.
ZA Gaming Alliance
ZAGA, as it is more commonly known, is a Facebook group with more than 20 000 members. Most of them are South African gamers. You’ve likely seen them spamming the chat in live presidential addresses or heard differing opinions on the group itself. Love it or hate it, I do think it is a must stop spot if you’re wanting to find other gamers fast. There’s so many people in the group and most are really welcoming and friendly. Sometimes you might find opinions you disagree with, but with 20 000 people that is to be expected. It’s a good stop if you want to connect with other gamers. You can find the Facebook group by clicking here.
Search by console
Each platform actually has a dedicated Facebook group or discord you can join. Every single one is extremely welcoming with a really positive overall feel. The mods are super at what they do and are very helpful with new members. These are my 3 top spots to join if you’re wanting to play with others on your console.
The ZA Playstation Association (ZAPA)
I love this group so much. So much that I’m dusting off my Playstation and finding myself spending more time on it BECAUSE of this group. They’re a great space to find other PS4 gamers and they also create a lot of entertaining and original content. So definitely worth joining if you’re Playstation mad. You can click here for a link to the Facebook group.
The Nintendo South Africa discord group
If you own a Switch then you have to join this group. It is run by the official Nintendo distributor in South Africa so you can always find rad giveaways and deals on there BUT it is the community that really makes this group amazing. I absolutely love the people in this discord, they’re supportive of one another, helpful and just generally all round nice humans – no matter which title you’re playing. That’s also a plus of this discord, each title has dedicated channels so you can find people jamming the same games as you. If you want to join the discord just click this link.
XBox Players South Africa (XBPSA)
If you’re using an Xbox this group is a worthwhile place to visit. It has more than 10 000 members and is the ideal spot for those jamming on the Microsoft console. They’ve got various game titles with people playing, so you can jump in at any time and also just a stack of news and fun community events you can get involved in. If you’re XBox mad and want to join click here.
Those are my top suggestions if you’re looking for new friends to jam with. See you online!
