In the era of MySpace and Facebook being used as online tools to network with, it’s no surprise that a cluster of gamers in Hollywood have found a new way to network. It appears that big business deals as well as curbstomps have been performed all on a special night affectionately dubbed "Nerd Poker." What all does this "Nerd Poker" entail, exactly?

It’s simple -- gather all your business associates for a game of Gears of War or whatever the game of choice is. It’s quickly becoming a huge hit with all kinds of different groups who want to get together and talk business, gossip, or just spend time together. Even church groups are getting in on the action and holding their own Xbox Live nights.

How did it get its start? Two years ago, industry members Ben Fritz of Variety fame, and Kevin Chang, an executive at Misher Films, decided that they’d had enough with the frustrating match-ups with trash-talking teenagers they’d often be faced with when striking up a game. What’d they do? They did what any other social gamer would do -- called some friends. Those friends happened to be fellow members of the video game industry. Together, it was decided that they would game together as well as get to know each other. Having made friendly connections through gaming together, business deals were soon struck and the group of four friends soon grew to a whopping 90.

Social gaming like this provides an outlet for which networking to seem much less tedious and dread-worthy than it actually is. When you’re all playing video games, it seems to put everyone on a level playing field. Of course, not only does this work for business associates, but it can bring families, groups, and organizations together in a way previously unheard of. Gaming brings some of the most unique and diverse groups together, as we are all aware, and the fact that titles such as Gears of War are being put to use to achieve such is a great development. Connections are being made that might have never existed since people become much more accessible when you’re slicing through them with a Lancer.

Perhaps Kevin Chang said it best:

"While the aim was not necessarily to do business, I think the casualness and the lack of pretense made us all really close. And who wouldn’t want to do business with friends?"