Two ‘best friends’ who formed a bond over gaming have met face-to-face for the first time. Bjetka Zmelikova, a 25 year old from Prague, and Jacob Stewart, 26, took their friendship from online into the real world in a recent gaming event in London.
The meeting took place after Bjetka boarded a flight to London where Jacob has set up home.
Their digital friendship blossomed during an online game of Among Us in 2020, and since then, the duo has racked up more than 1000 hours of playtime, enjoying countless games throughout the pandemic.
Opening up about the online connection, Bjetka expressed how gaming became a refuge during the Covid-19 lockdowns: “Covid for me meant that basically everything was cancelled and so I spent a lot of my time gaming online”
She added that the online bond with Jacob served as a pillar of support during those solitary days.
Jacob, who is looking forward to tying the knot next year and had already extended an invitation to Bjetka, found joy in the unexpected opportunity to meet earlier then expected.
“I thought that would be the first time we’d meet in person, so the chance to have this meet up before then makes it even more special – we’re even going to do a mini stag do whilst she’s here in London.”
The touching encounter was orchestrated by the electronics giant Hisense, uniting the pair face-to-face at their Game At First Sight live event held at Aures in Waterloo. Gamers from all corners of the globe gathered for the very first time to get their hands on the newly released C2 Ultra and PX3 Pro.
Other virtual gaming companions who attended the event included 36 -year-old Luke Brewton from Hailsham, along with Edd Pearson, 44, from Hertfordshire. The duo have been gaming allies for an incredible 15 years and chat daily without ever meeting face-to-face until now.
Edd remarked: “We’ve been there for each other through the births of our children, our relationship breakdowns, all sorts of life’s ups and downs. It’s crazy to think we’re only now meeting each other in person for the first time.”
Likewise, the event also marked the real-life introduction of best pals Robyn Bruce from East Kilbride, Scotland, and Stefica Schwarz from Montreal, Canada.
The event boasted appearances from high-profile online gamers Mr Gibbon of Ireland who comes with an army of over 100k Twitch subscribers and the UK’s own Anna Demetriou. Although familiar online, this was also their initial offline encounter.
Mr Gibbon shared excitement about the meetup, saying: “Hosting this event has been amazing as I don’t think people realise how much online gaming leads to people forming really strong friendships.”
“Having online friends that you game with, for many, can really help improve mental well-being, with them providing a support network that many might struggle to find in their offline lives,” he says.
A staggering three-quarters of gamers report having developed meaningful relationships within the gaming sphere, stating it alleviates loneliness and supports them through challenging periods.
Chris Joughin, spokesperson from Hisense, commented: “The online gaming community has become an essential space for fostering connections and reducing feelings of isolation, especially in a world that’s increasingly digital.”
“Through shared experiences, gamers are able to form meaningful relationships that transcend geographical boundaries.”