Why the next big consumer platforms are social games

On my panel, in which we discussed the next social platform, we focused on the idea of new social primitives, and how we’re already starting to see them emerge in games like Fortnite* and Roblox. The below is from Rec Room CEO Nick Fajt:

We’re already seeing this unbundling of consumer platforms starting within communities that have a deep affinity and sense of identity, and are not well served by general purpose social networks – for example, gaming communities assembling in virtual worlds such as Minecraft and Roblox and using Discord to communicate, communities that coalesce aro... See more

Today’s generation of children express themselves, often learn, and constantly socialize through virtual worlds they can touch, change, and collaborate in. That’s not going to stop. Rather, the capabilities of these virtual worlds will expand, their ease of use will improve, and their significance will grow. What’s more, the ‘iPad Native’ generatio... See more

The thing that we are seeing with Fortnite and Roblox is the shape of whatever is next. That social gaming space [is where] a lot of those primitives are emerging. There are these worlds or rooms or islands that are built by not the publisher and then you're seeing more of a social exploration than a true like, "Hey, I'm moving through level one, l... See more

Existing matchmaking solutions and social tools embedded in most platforms today are inadequate, and much of Fortnite and Minecraft’s success can be attributed to their ability to become social metaverses that could act as a concert venue or graduation ceremony, bringing people together in unique ways that would otherwise not be possible.

How people experience the world is changing, with gamers saying that the most attractive element of an immersive game is the story, and with the majority of younger generations playing games, creating a compelling brand story is becoming an increasingly attractive point of differentiation.

Among digital natives, everything is social. We see a steady march toward more social products. Examples from the Daybreak portfolio, across a range of sectors:

• Investing: AfterHour, which offers a social hub for trading and financial learning


• Dating: Amori, which takes single-player dating and makes it collaborative and social with LLM-powered ma

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