Man finally meets online buddy after eight years of online friendship and gaming: 'My brother!'

One of the best things about the internet is that one can make new friends through games, texts, media and more. Without being with the person physically, one can show up and befriend another online. Reddit user u/Front_Eggplant4688 revealed that he met one of his best buddies through a game of Rocket League. The duo stuck together throughout games online because enjoyed having each other’s company. “We won our fair share of games and then went our separate ways,” the man said.

While just a play buddy back then, the man was reunited with his friend again. “About a month later, we ran into each other again by chance playing hoops,” the man shared. He didn’t want to lose hold of a good pal and took things further. He added, “This time I decided to take a chance and invite him to my party on Xbox while we were playing and I kept thinking, ‘Please don't be a squeaker.’” To the man’s delight, the duo turned out to be the same age and they managed to spark a touching bond online with each other without meeting. “From then on, a friendship and brotherhood was born. Over the years we would talk about finally meeting each other and hanging out for real but nothing came to fruition,” he revealed.

The duo continued to remain the best of friends and the man’s girlfriend decided to surprise him for his birthday. She got his beloved friend to arrive at his workplace to surprise him. “She had me guessing all day but I never would have imagined that he would be standing in front of me. This is the first time we met face to face and it brings a smile to my face every time,” the man exclaimed. He also shared a video of the two of them finally seeing each other. The man was standing facing his back towards the very same guy who he had been playing with for over 8 years. However, he wasn’t able to recognize him.

After being called out, he turned around and the friend put his hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear. The man’s face immediately lit up and he threw himself on the guy to give him the warmest hug. “My brother!” he exclaimed, speechless on seeing him in person. The duo shared a strong embrace for a long time. Their eyes lit up and seeing each other in the flesh was one of the purest joys for them both. Several people congratulated the man for being able to unite with his pal in person.

Many even shared how they wished to meet their online buddies. The man replied in a comment saying, “I hope you guys make it happen! It's such a good feeling to be able to have a beer next to the buddy you've been drinking and playing online with for years.” u/adultosaurs wrote, “The long-term bestie I met online too. Internet friendship is real.”  u/JG917 remarked, “That was a damn good hug - I felt that. Seriously I love this.”