Introduction
Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games, better known as MMORPGs, is a genre of games that has enjoyed an explosion in popularity in recent years. In fact, MMORPGs have become so mainstream that the most popular game in this category, World of Warcraft, better known as WoW, was featured in a recent episode of the hit show South Park. Estimates have shown that more than 9.5 million people pay monthly fees that range from 13-15 dollars per month to play MMORPGs.
In these games, the player takes on the role of an avatar that ventures through an elaborate fantasy world and interacts with other real players and NPCs (non-playing characters). The attraction of this genre of games can sometimes lead to players feeling the need to play even to the detriment of other aspects of their life. This leads to a question that many have debated and are still debating today: is it possible to be addicted to an online video game?
Addiction is a term used to loosely in today's society. Addiction, however, is a very serious condition that involves habitual physiological or psychological dependence on a substance or practice beyond one's voluntary control (addiction). "Although not a clearly defined diagnosis, video-game addiction meets many of the criteria for addiction established by the American Psychiatric Association" (Fiely, 2006). MMORPGs are intensely created to attract players, but addiction to these games is a real threat that is often overlooked by parents and adult players.
Modern MMORPGs originated with Ultima Online, which was released on September 25, 1997, by Origin Systems. What made this game different was its third person isometric game play. This game was followed by Everquest which released in March of 1999 by Verant Interactive and published by Sony Online Entertainment (SOE). Everquest features a 3D environment and is designed for the grouping of 6 to 72 players in order to complete certain quests. The most heavily played game in this genre though is World of Warcraft (WoW). WoW was developed by Blizzard Entertainment and released in November 2004. Currently there are over seven million subscribers who pay a monthly fee to play this online only game. The first large scale upgrade to WoW is due to be released in January of 2007. That does not mean that World of Warcraft has not changed since its release. Content is regularly added, and problems are routinely fixed through scheduled downtime on a weekly or daily basis on all active MMORPGs.
Shadowclan's glory days in Ultima Online.
The encompassing nature of these games has led to addiction. MMORPGs feature in-game player driven economies. Players can spend hours looking for deals or trying to buy or sell goods and equipment. WoW also features its own in-game auction house, which is similar to EBAY. In-game currency (Gold, Silver, and Copper) is so valuable in these games that it can be bought off websites for real money and mailed to a character in the game. The going rate is roughly $15 for 100 gold. The real-world market for this gold is so demanding and competitive that other countries where this game is played people are paid to "farm" gold. When players kill a certain type of creature or mob repeatedly to try to get a certain item to drop from them, it is considered farming.
Questing and farming are the major time expenses in MMORPGs. Item drops are based on percentage rolls calculated within the game. Low and mid-level quests can require up to five players and can take varying amounts of time depending on the level of the characters and skill of the players. Usually they can be completed in less than two hours. High-level quests, on the other hand, can take three to five hours to complete.
Gamers must be willing to put in the time required to complete these quests or raids. Players that want to be able to find each other or play together can form guilds within the game. Raids are usually only conducted by individual guilds and can require as few as 10 players or as many as 40, so players are accountable to their guild mates. Voice communication programs such as Teamspeak or Ventrilo are usually required. These programs help players coordinate strategy and build friendships. Guilds have been known to schedule raids as many as four days a week. Often to maintain a good standing in a guild, players will have to sacrifice more time than they might normally expect to participate in raids or high-level quests. The experience of coordinating with others and the stress and excitement of this type of game play has very addicting qualities.
