Going to university can be a daunting experience for many new students, as studies suggest one in six students feel they don’t have any ‘true friends’ at uni. However, with the average gamer making five new friends through online play, and 92% of students playing regularly, gaming could be an accessible way for students to grow their social circle and enrich their life at university.

To discover which university gave the most social opportunities to gamers, Uswitch broadband experts examined factors such as the number of members in each university’s gaming society discord server (a free communications app that lets you share voice, video, and text chat with friends, game communities, and developers), the number of Twitter followers for each gaming society, and the number of Esports players from National Students Esports (NSE), to see which university was the best for online gamers.

Table 1: The best university for gamers

University	Discord members	Twitter followers	Active Esports players	Total associated gamers
The University of Warwick	2,359	1,435	488	4,282
University College London	2,964	386	194	3,544
The University of Manchester	1,834	1,243	163	3,240
Swansea University	1,514	1,317	314	3,145
The University of Southampton	2,195	410	361	2,966
Imperial College London	2,461	212	225	2,898
University of Durham	1,699	624	290	2,613
The University of Bath	1,933	409	205	2,547
King’s College London	1,724	404	225	2,353
The University of Bristol	1,916	154	211	2,281

Source: Uswitch.com

With a total of 4,282 associated gamers, the University of Warwick was found to be the best university for gamers. Among all universities, Warwick has the most Twitter followers (1,435) and the most active Esports players (488). However, Warwick ranks third in terms of discord members (2,359), behind University College London (2,964) and Imperial College London (2,461).

Following the opening of a dedicated Esports gaming centre on campus in 2021, Warwick’s Esports scene has grown in popularity, with the university ranking second in the world for the Esports collegiate programme of the year as well as hosting a tournament later this year.

University College London (UCL) ranks second with 3,544 associated gamers. UCL has the most gaming discord members of any university, with 2,964 students registered to gaming society channels in total –  23% more than Warwick and 19% higher than Imperial College London. UCL is the top-ranked university in London, with Imperial College London and King’s College London also ranking in the top ten.

The University of Manchester ranks third, with 3,240 associated gamers. The university has the third-most Twitter gaming society followers (1,243) amongst all universities, as well as 1,834 discord members and 162 active Esports players. Gaming appears to thrive in Manchester, with a recent study claiming that Manchester is the best city in the UK for gamers.

Table 2: The worst university for gamers

Source: Uswitch.com

The University of Cumbria ranked lowest out of all universities, with only 15 members in total, all of whom were discord members. The University of Wolverhampton and Canterbury Christ Church University obtained the next lowest scores, with 54 and 67 associated gamers, respectively.

Nick Baker, online gaming expert at Uswitch.com, comments on the positives of gaming and why it can help students at university:

“Several studies have shown that gaming can be good for you, encouraging skills such as teamwork, strategy, critical thinking, visual memory, developing social skills and improving response time. Gaming can be especially beneficial for university students as it not only allows them to relax in between their hectic daily lives, but also allows them to form friendships with other students by playing with them or bonding over specific gaming interests. Gaming societies should be treated in the same manner as any other typical university society. It makes students feel accepted and a part of a community, which undoubtedly improves their social connections and mental health. Also, since the Esports world shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, it can provide future career opportunities to students who want to compete professionally in tournaments.”