We're looking for new writers to join us!

Massively Multiplayer Online Real Life Games?

by: Randy -
More On:
Prolific essayist, tabletop roleplaying designer, and video game advisor, Allen Varney, writes about the future of MMO gaming in The Escapist.  But it's not what you might think.  In the year 2020, World of Warcraft won't be dominating charts -- it'll be something closer to World of MySpace.  MySpace, as we speak, is quite possibly the largest MMO in existence.  No, I don't like it either, but it's hard to disagree with his logical progression.

Consider the not-so-far-flung similarities: You dress up your MySpace page (configure your avatar, which doubles as player housing), join any number of interest groups (guilds), assemble your officers (your Top 8 Friends), download music and videos (to spur the player-driven economy), and collect friends for server-wide prestige (the grind for loot).  And there are definitely "friend farmers" as well as griefers in the MySpace arena, not to mention countless blind-invites from indiscriminating buddy-mongers.

With entire generations growing up with game consoles in their baby cribs, the distinction between Game Life and Real Life will blur as much as many politicians fear it will.