Keeping in touch with gamer friends

[Mert Gunes]

I have a question that has been haunting for a long time now, and I hope that this is the right place in the forum to ask it.

How can I stay in touch, other than playing games, with my old gamer friends who still play games and live in different countries?

I have 3 very close friends from high school. After graduating from high school 4 years ago, we each went to universities in different countries. However, we stayed in touch by playing games together. I have countless great memories with them and am grateful to them because their company helped me feel home at a place away from home. However, they have also made it harder for me to quit gaming because they often invite me to play together. Just today one of them sent me a game as a gift so that we can all play it together. I told him about my determination to stop gaming and that we should simply talk on Skype rather than play games. The problem is that they get bored when we just talk and eventually start playing a game. I understand that I might just need to move on. However, I especially don't want to lose the friendship of one of them. He is like a brother to me. What are some ways I can stay in touch with him other than playing games together? For example, I imagine that we would enjoy playing board games but its a pity that he is in a different country. Also, we both have music as a common interest, but its difficult to do something together online. I would appreciate any idea that you may have.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Mert Gunes

[SundayMiharu]

So... Shared online activity, like Youtube project?

Make an art/music project together, post it at youtube with aim for viewership?

[Cam Adair]

I stay in touch with a few friends back in my hometown by playing fantasy football online together once a year. Finding other common activities can work and it's also one thing to consider that you may not need to talk as much but you can still stay in touch every now and again.

[Mert Gunes]

So... Shared online activity, like Youtube project?

Make an art/music project together, post it at youtube with aim for viewership?

Thanks SundayMiharu. I tried to create music together online before, but it didn't work out. However, when I thought of other art forms, I realised that my close friend enjoys writing short stories. I'll see what he thinks about collaborating online on a short story.

I stay in touch with a few friends back in my hometown by playing fantasy football online together once a year. Finding other common activities can work and it's also one thing to consider that you may not need to talk as much but you can still stay in touch every now and again.

Thanks Cam. How does fantasy football work? Also, do you find it to be similar to gaming or not?

[Cam Adair]

Thanks Cam. How does fantasy football work? Also, do you find it to be similar to gaming or not?

I don't find it similar to gaming although I would caution anyone from playing "daily" fantasy football (sports) because of the gambling-like design. With friends I'm playing "season-long" and it's really just a casual way to stay in touch with friends. Info on what it is can be found here.