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Is World of Warcraft More Than Just A Game?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the zug-zug dept.

walnutmon writes "Newsweek has published a three page article asking whether World of Warcraft is more than just a game. Though some spend their time in WoW grinding, others take a break from the monotony of gaming to interact with others from the community in a meaningful way. From the article: 'Generally, though, players of the game enjoy a form of community rarely seen in the real world; higher-level players go out of their way to tutor newbies and accompany them on quests. Deep friendships are forged. Relationships begin that flower into marriage, with Tauren brides and Undead grooms tying the knot in some virtual tavern in Thunder Bluff.' I guess the question is, does a game become more when people do more than play to win, or is this just an added feature?" Raph Koster has been of the opinion, for quite some time now, that all MMOGs are virtual worlds; it just so happens you can play a game inside many of them. What's your view on this? Are Massive games just another kind of game title, or are they something special?

4 of 339 comments (clear)

  1. WOW is gay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    almost as bad as myspace

  2. Re:Snow Crash by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I know that Warcraft's story arcs are pretty trite, but there's no need to insult them by going off-topic and referring to a novel whose main character's name is pronounced "Hero Protagonist."

  3. Re:Excuse me? by 1u3hr · · Score: 0, Troll
    a form of community rarely seen in the real world...

    Yes, conceited, and pathetic too. Like looking at porn online is a sex life.

    I have some purely online relationships, but they're mostly singe-dimensional; concerned with discussing some esoterica we're both interested in. I really doubt any of us would get on in the real world; none would or could offer support as an actual meatspace friend would. If you think that a relationship based on gaming would be any deeper; just recall it's "role playing". No one is who they pretend to be. Being brave or generous in a virtual world means nothing.

  4. parent is a social dictator by fithmo · · Score: -1, Troll
    "Yes it creates community, but are they real friendships? Do they share anything in common other than WoW?"

    Are friends in WoW real friends? Do they have anything else in common? No more or less than a soccer team, or a poker club, or my dad's Lionel train club. A lot of people in my guild live in the same metropolitan area and we meet up and go out for drinks. Some of (with more money than me) are going to Vegas together to party.

    "It's unspeakably annoying to be at a party with a critical mass of these people, because all they talk about is WoW."

    Do you hate being in a room full of Linux proponents or Apple missionaries? Or djs, or hip-hop heads, or anime otakus, or Monty Python fans? Guess so... or, then again, maybe those are things you're interested in too.

    "...try talking to your WoW friends about something other than WoW and see if you would still be their friend without it."

    Try not talking to your friends about what you have in common and see if you're still friends with them! Seriously, a "no-WoW rule"? How about YOU spend time with people that share YOUR interests as oppose to forcing your "friends" not to talk about what interests them.

    I don't see what's so insightful about someone who thinks everyone should think and act the way they want them to. Personally, I don't spend my time with people that tell me what I can and can't talk about. I can't consider someone my friend if they forbid me to share my interests. Call it my "no-dick-face-friends rule".