The Evolution of Community Management in Gaming: From Forums to AI-driven Engagement

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of community management in the gaming industry, tracing its development from early internet forums, IRC chats, and fan sites to modern AI-driven interaction systems. The study compares traditional community management methods with contemporary technologies, including GPT chatbots, voice assistants, automated sentiment analysis, and personalized interaction systems. The research methodology is based on historical-comparative analysis, case studies, digital data analysis, and expert interviews, allowing for the identification of evolutionary trends and existing research gaps in this field. Particular attention is given to ethical concerns and challenges associated with automation, such as the risk of losing the "human" element and algorithmic bias. The findings highlight the need for a hybrid model of community management, where automated systems complement the expertise of human professionals to ensure effective and empathetic engagement with the audience. By analyzing the transformation from classical forum-based communication to innovative AI-driven community management models, this study provides valuable insights for researchers in digital communication, gaming ecosystem managers, digital marketing strategists, and AI technology developers seeking to optimize user engagement and support processes in an increasingly dynamic information landscape.