[fcatalan]

Small Twitch communities do it for me.

I'm quite of an introvert. And all my long term friendships have faded or my friends have moved cities or countries.

But around lockdown I took up miniature painting and started watching a bunch of 50 to 100 viewer channels about the hobby. With those numbers the streamer knows you by name by the second time you show up and you soon bond with others in chat.

This got me in contact with the small local hobby club, but also by the time I could attend an in person nationwide convention my family was astounded: dozens of people they knew nothing about were greeting me, stopping for hugs and chats, giving me stuff from their stands...

I've seen both romantic and business relationships emerge in that environment.