The Game of Love

As someone who has never played one, I find the concept of MMORG’s intriguing. I can appreciate how they can be alluring and a consuming form of entertainment. The social element to these games that provide a compelling dimension and the reason many participate and find friendship through the shared experience.

It seems, for some, the bonds forged on quests or conquering the enemy extends beyond banter.

This article from the New York Times tells the story of two people who met within the World of Warcraft game, romanced and have become a couple. They had chatted within the confines of the game for a couple of months then took the step of meeting up in person. Interestingly the article is not published in the Technology pages, but the “Fashion and Style” section and makes the case that gamers are real people too. It implies that with 12 million people playing the game, it may be fertile (virtual) ground for meeting a partner as, in comparison, the leading match making site has a subscriber base less than one sixth the size. Two people in the tutorial today mentioned they knew couples that had met through MMORG’s.

It highlights that not everyone’s game experience is the same, or their motive for playing the game.

To meet in a form represented as an avatar and then again physical manifestation must be interesting. But maybe the process of getting to know someone well in-game is not that different from navigating through the layers of social conventions in the “real world”. 

People will seek out people... and hopefully have a little fun along the way.  That game is never over…Happy Valentines Day.