Are MMORPG's Taking over the World?

I stand before you today to ask the question, 'Are MMORPG's taking over the world?'

Ill give you some quick background information on order to develop your opinion and allow you to discuss this argument.

The first and every basic question is:
Q.What is an MMORPG?
A.A Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game.

Why are MMORPG's dangerous?

MMORPG's use characters, themes and era that you assume, as well as an entire world in which becomes the reality of your characters journey. Players delve deep within the world in which their character assumes and thus can lead to assuming the alter reality itself.

Often people who recieve minimal respect or social accolades in their real world choose to 'live' within the alter reality in order to gain respect and positive human interaction. Such as in RuneScape where high levels are considered 'mighty' or 'powerful' lower levels often respect high level players because of the numerical level. Players spend their life achieving higher and higher levels in order to gain further and further respect within their alter reality to gain the respect they wish they gain in their real world.

A different approach, what are the economical and social implications of MMORPG's on an international scale?

Studies have shown a trend of unemployment and dismissals increasing each year due to MMORPG's. People are unable to hold steady jobs because of their addiction on the game. Studies have shown within Korea itself %15 own MMORPG or have played them in the past. This has lead to limiatations and restrictions being made in other Asian countries such as China where users are denied access to games at certain hours of the day. Studies have shown that at least 3 Million Chinese play MMORPG's on a regular basis.

MMORPG Related Suicides?

In America MMORPG related suicide's have started occurring since 2001 when a tragic event occurred where a young man committed suicide because he was scammed in 'EverQuest.' In America 6 suicide's were directly related to Gaming and last year we all heard of the Dutch boy who committed suicide's due to getting scammed by his best friend in RuneScape. Due to his real life problems at home becoming unbearable when his best friend's greed got the best of him, the boy felt all he had left was this friend, yet when his best friend hacked him he had nothing left.

MMORPG creators purposefully make these games addictive to further their financial gain.

RuneScape use the high scores as a means of creating a 'race' effect in which each individual attempts to gain a desired rank or be recognized for certain skills. Players become addicted to success and furthering their 'overall' rank to gain social accolades and respect from other players.

No matter what kind of MMORPG whether it be World of Warcraft, EverQuest, Guild Wars, Runescape. They never ever end and thats why they are so addictive. The addiction controls the lives of many people in society and the trend is growing at an increasing rate.

Are they unethical for taking advantage of citizens within the international community?

My only recognition of a threat to MMORPG's is the notion of social unacceptability. I have noticed this through out my years of education, through media and of course perants. No one likes seeing someone sit in front of a computer screen. Although this often does not stop addictions, it prevents them from starting.

I believe that if MMORPG's can be marketed to be socially acceptable among teens and young adults the world as we know it could be doomed for eternity.

Discuss.

 

Taking over the world um no.....

 

It is sad how addicted some people get to a game, but it's not on a major scale.... I think taking over the world is blown out of proportion,

 

Exactly!

Unless of course it comes to a point where the game is virtual reality then maybe.......

And Shawn I didn't know you were a mod =o

 

Just got mod today

 

Sigh...those people who get all serious over games set a bad example for the rest of us gamers. Now games ratings are going to be lowered....restrictions on more games will happen, geez, I mean, why should MMO's be banned, people should learn to play them responsibly, getting addicted is no one's fault but your own.

 

Runescape is addicting. Hell, when my old account got banned two years ago, i cried. Seriously. Well, it had a purple phat, which is basically cash (since you could sell it on sythe). I'm so glad it got banned. I am 100 percent RS free.

 

"Are MMORPG's taking over the world?" Is one question about this issue yet i was hoping that some of you would look into other questions upon the issue.

Such as "Are MMO creators unethical due to the increasingly addictive nature of the game, thus taking advantage of citizens all over the world, causing them to be unsuccessful in real life?" Or is it merely the gamers fault for taking the game to seriously? Both these statements have good arguments for and against. Hopefully we can unlock a few of those !

 

No, they're not - tho there are allot mmorpg's.
But think about csc, america's army, some other games on xbox live.

 

No. Only the time of addicts....and the internet.

 

definetly blown out of proportion...

some people are addicted and OD on it and i was too
now that i have a job and not a lot of spare time, i usually spend it on here talk or MMing for other people

now i just go on if i have some time =)

 

uhh no

 

As long as Maple Story stays in the shadows we're fine

 

meh its no big deal, mmo's aren't gonna take over the world lol

 

Evidence? Use something to support your argument.. Saying that means nothing.

 

no but it might have an effect on people when they get older.. because its not like adults play runescape and other mmorpgs a lot, its mostly in the age range of roughly 10-18 i would guess

 

people have to figure out that it is a game. Since people are killing themselves over a game, there is a 99% chance that there some kind of family problems. NOW if it was real life cash being scammed then yea...but fake pixel gold being scammed and killing themselves over it? wow.

Yea some games are addicting, you now the people who create the games wanna make money, what are they suppose to do? make a boring game? no they make an addicting game.

 

Dude, the programmers and stuff should never be blamed. It's to bad some people take games so seriously, but the creators should never be sued and stuff. It's called responsibility.

 

Well since MMORPG's are a business, and businesses are taking over the world, yes they do play thier own part in taking ovver the world. But MMORPG's alone, no, they just take over people's lives and steal thier souls.

 

Actually there is strong evidence that demonstrates that the largest abusers of MMO's are 18+ and companies market their product toward this group. Excessive playing of 18+ citizens is increasing every year and can actually show a reflection on the economy and unemployment rate of various countries.

Just think... The people that go out and work their arse off 9-5 are paying for these addicted people to fund their membership and internet, in conjunction with their increased eating habits.



These stories are occuring all around us and through my experience with my peers it is evident that other MMO's such as EverQuest & WoW are FAR more addictive in comparison to RuneScape.