Online gaming is playing a digital game through an Internet connection, either alone or with other people. Playing with others is common, but it is not required: a person can play solo against a computer through an online game or service. The term covers games on computers, consoles, and mobile or wireless devices.
What makes a game “online”?
The defining feature is the Internet connection or service through which the game is accessed or played—not the number of people playing. An online game may connect to a remote server, provide access to a game, or let players find and interact with one another online. The Office québécois de la langue française describes an online video game as one accessible on the Internet, including games played alone against a computer as well as games that let users find opponents. OQLF terminology entry (updated 2010).
The OECD’s 2005 report uses a broad definition: an online game is “any computer-based game played over the Internet including PC, console and wireless games.” Its examples range from small-group extensions of standalone games to massively multiplayer role-playing games. That breadth helps explain why no single device, game format, or group size defines online gaming. OECD, Online Computer and Video Games.
Does online gaming always mean playing with other people?
No. “Online” describes the Internet connection or service; “multiplayer” describes participation by more than one player. Someone playing alone against the computer can still be playing an online game. An online multiplayer game is one kind of online gaming, not the whole category.
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Research frameworks may define particular social arrangements more narrowly. For example, the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s 2023 Video Games Research Framework describes groups of players as people participating in a video game within a shared online space at the same time. That is useful when discussing group play, but it does not make multiplayer a requirement for the everyday meaning of online gaming.
How online gaming differs from offline play
Offline play means playing without needing an Internet connection. The distinction applies to the mode being discussed: the relevant question is whether that play session or activity uses an Internet connection, not whether the game as a whole has ever had an online feature. A useful description names the mode—such as “online solo play” or “offline play”—rather than treating “online” and “multiplayer” as synonyms.
Rank #2
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Why formal definitions can differ
Everyday usage is broad, but a government, regulator, or researcher may define terms for a specific study or legal classification. Such definitions should be read in their stated context rather than treated as universal rules. The UK research framework, for instance, says its definitions may change as the field develops.
HM Revenue & Customs makes a point about a particular UK tax classification: “Simply having an online multiplayer feature will not on its own mean a game meets the social media definition.” That sentence concerns the social-media definition in HMRC’s manual, not whether a game counts as online gaming in ordinary usage. HMRC, Application to Online Games (manual updated 31 July 2024).
Rank #3
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The word “gaming” can also mean gambling in some legal contexts. Here, “online gaming” means video-game play over the Internet, not online wagering. Legal terminology depends on jurisdiction and purpose; this distinction is not legal advice.
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