The Death of Couch Multiplayer

As a kid, if I wanted to play a game with a friend one of us would have to travel to the other's respective home and share couch space as we played against one another. It was a good a social experience as any other; two people in the same room casually chatting while entertaining ourselves on one television. However, that has changed with the introduction of online play over the past decade. Now it is possible for one to sit alone at home upon turning on their computer or console, instantly be connected to friends for mulitplayer experience. Many argue that this innovation is good, having led to better connectivity and little to no logistical requirements to play with friends. I however, miss the engagement and social bonding couch gaming played in my childhood. Talking into a microphone to other disembodied voices can't replicate the social interaction created when sharing a room with someone, enjoying a shared entertainment. It wasn't until I got to college and began playing games in the same space with my roommate did I realize how much I had missed it. Something about playing a game online with others shifts the focus to the game itself and not the fun shared by the people you play with it. It's a shame that this is what we've become used to. The death of couch multiplayer may be overshadowed by the birth of online gaming, but I don't plan on forgetting what it meant to me.