Long before high‐definition avatars and omnipresent voice comms, the first inklings of gaming chatter drifted through the static glow of BBS (Bulletin Board System) forums and IRC (Internet Relay Chat) channels. In the late 1980s and early ’90s, text‐only terminals connected hobbyists in pixelated collaboration, sharing cheat codes, trade secrets, and nascent memes. These proto‐communities were bound by strict etiquette—no flooding, no all‐caps ranting—and a sense of discovery. Users adopted handles instead of real names, forging pseudonymous bonds that would become a hallmark of online play. As graphical interfaces emerged in the mid-’90s with games like Doom and Quake, in‐game

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