Back in the day, the way to meet someone would be at a bar, the workplace, or maybe even a coffee shop.

Next would be the dating sites: Plenty of Fish, Christian Mingle, Farmers Only, and so on.

Then we moved on to dating apps: Tinder, Bumble, Grindr, and the list goes on.

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But (no shade) I never thought this would be the newest place where New Jerseyans were finding romantic partners.

New Jersey’s gaming communities are becoming the new dating hotspots

A study done by GravaStar, a gaming gadget company, revealed that nearly two-thirds of New Jersey gamers consider their online communities as possible dating pools.

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As they put it:

It appears gamers here are prepared to shun the nightlife of Atlantic City’s Boardwalk or Hoboken’s Washington Street, figuring they might have more luck meeting someone in the virtual worlds of their favorite games.

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It's clear that platforms like World of Warcraft are not just for competition but are becoming hubs where deeper connections can form - often leading to unexpected romance.

GravaStar’s survey also asked Garden State gamers if they had ever developed romantic feelings for someone they met online - get this - 43% of them said yes.

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79% of gamers believe that relationships formed through this medium are just as valid as those cultivated in person or on dating apps.

What games are most likely to lead to love?

MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) such as World of Warcraft topped the list, with 43% of gamers believing these immersive worlds offer the best chance to connect with others.

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Video games to be inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame . (Bethany Mosher, The Strong Museum via AP)
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Casual or social games such as Among Us came in second with 30%, followed by co-op games (15%) such as Left 4 Dead 2.

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Last on the list were competitive Battle Royale games such as Call of Duty, with only 11% of gamers seeing romantic potential in this intense genre.

Top 'special occasion places' in New Jersey

Here is a list of NJ restaurants you would visit for a special occasion.

Gallery Credit: (Bill Spadea)

21 top spots to take a first-time visitor to New Jersey

Someone from out-of-state, or maybe even out of the country, is visiting New Jersey for the first time. Where do you take them? After grabbing a bagel and before chowing down on a slice of Jersey pizza, be sure to treat your out-of-town guest to a day in the Garden State with some of these places in mind.

Gallery Credit: Jen Ursillo

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.
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