MMORPGS

I was interested by this article from the BBC relating to people queueing to buy an expansion pack for the MMORPG "World of Warcraft".  

My immediate response was one of shock at the level of obsession some people seem to have for such games.  I am extremely critical of the lack of social interaction that such games offer.  In a society where it seems new generations have lost the ability to talk face-to-face with each other in a polite and respecting way, why are people becoming more and more obsessed with online interaction.  I found it rather ironic that one man interviewed claimed the game was socially "bloody brilliant" due to diversity of people from different countries and cultures that you could 'meet'.  I would argue strongly with this comment for several reasons, although admittedly I have a lack of knowledge on the medium, having never played it.  I would suggest that when two individuals of different nationalities 'meet' they will communicate only about their position in the game, rather than having a conversation one might have face-to-face on more important topics.  Such a game therefore offers players the option of escapism by giving them the opportunity to avoid dealing with real issues or problems while quenching a basic human thirst for belonging.

One of those interviewed cited the friendliness of the environment to be one of the main reasons for playing.  Perhaps these individuals who may be isolated by society because of their appearance, like these poor individuals, are involved in the communities created by MMORPGs to get acceptance and belonging.  It was however, encouraging to hear the same man say that the game had been the basis for many strong friendships (including his current girlfriend) as he had physically met the people he had previously met online.  This does however led to concerns of safety due to the faceless anonymity offered by the internet. 

I would be interested to learn more about MMORPGs but feel my criticisms of them will always remain.  In my mind, there seems to be a sense of mindless acceptance that programmes such as Facebook and World of Warcraft offer a substitute for social interaction.  There also seems to be an element of control exerted by such programmes.  Perhaps I am too critical to question what the creators of such programmes gain.  While it could be argued that they are created by their users, somebody somewhere is making a lot of money.  Businesses are inevitably fully aware of the opportunities offered by these games and the obsessed audience which could consume their products.  I would not be surprised if there was a McDonalds or Starbucks on World of Warcraft already, they seem to have the monopoly on Earth.

I recommend this episode of South Park to anyone with similar concerns (this is a short excerpt but catch it if you can)