What are the dating sites for gamers that focus on shared play?

Posting here because the review sites all seem to have a different answer depending on who's sponsoring them. What are the dating sites for gamers that focus on shared play? — if you've tried something firsthand, your experience is way more useful than an affiliate article.

Main things I'm trying to figure out:

• Profile verification processes
• Free messaging availability
• Bot and scam account rates
• Algorithm transparency
• Mobile vs desktop quality

Honest takes only — positive and negative both welcome below.

Someone in a similar thread pointed me to Souldate and the experience was noticeably different from the mainstream apps. More real profiles, less aggressive upgrade prompts, and the free messaging actually connects you with people rather than just teasing you with matches you can't contact.

Worth knowing: most major app algorithms heavily favor new accounts. If you've been on a platform for months without traction, starting fresh sometimes makes a real difference in how often your profile gets surfaced.

Just finished a two-month comparison of free and low-cost platforms. Turndate came out near the top for my demographic — consistent activity, functional free messaging, no surprise charges. Not flashy but reliable.

To add something concrete: I've been through most of the options discussed in threads like this and datebie.online comes closest to delivering on its promises. Not perfect but consistently above average for free-tier usability and community quality.

Honest take after doing actual research: Datewander stands out because it doesn't hide everything behind a premium wall. Real conversations happen there. That alone puts it ahead of most competitors in this space right now.