This is floating around recently and I find it hilarious. Apparently a new study appearing in the CyberPsychology and Behavior Journal is declaring that most gamers play games with their friends and make new friends in the game.
Shocking, I know. Sarcasm aside what's shocking is that this is actually news. I'm going to bet that most of you crazy gamer socialites actually know more people online than you do in your own neighborhood. Substitute "online" for "work" or "softball league" and you probably capture just about the whole country. maybe with more deep academic interest like this, we gamers will finally throw off the shackles of shut-in social misfits. Oh wait...for everyone but the shut-in academics and TV couch potatoes we already have because thanks to the miracle of social networking, we're not just the gamers anymore, we're everyone. Your parents, your kids and possibly even more shocking, your neighbors.
- More than 30 percent of participants found themselves attracted to another player.
- 40 percent choose to discuss sensitive issues with online friends rather than their real-life friends.
- One in five participants believed that MMORPGs had a negative effect on their relationships if their partner was not a player, while more than two-thirds felt they had a positive effect on their relationships with those who did play.
- Females were significantly more likely than males to be attracted to other players, and were far more likely to go on to date them.
- Most females gave 'therapeutic refreshment' as their main reason for playing, whereas most males stated 'curiosity, astonishment and interest' as reasons.
- Roughly one third of gamers reported they could be 'more themselves' in the game than in real life.
No wonder reading their findings makes you think they could be talking about just any old type of social group. They are.
"This study has revealed many aspects of MMORPGs that were not known before. Previous research has suggested that gamers are socially inactive, but MMORPGs are actually extremely social games, with high percentages of gamers making life-long friends and even partners," commented Professor Mark Griffiths, from Nottingham Trent University's School of Social Sciences. "As well as making good friends online, 81% of gamers play with real-life friends and family, suggesting MMORPGs are by no means an asocial activity, nor are the players socially introverted."
Holy crap. We play with our friends? I thought that stuff was only for little kids with balls and hoops and sticks and what not. Shocking indeed.
Want to Make a Friend for Life? Play an MMORPG
Ah glorious patch day. Time was, this was a manic day. Running around screaming "I have the ball!" and hoping that the train is on time. No longer folks. In fact, I'm a bit bored today. We've patched so many times and despite being so small our process has gotten pretty refined and I am honestly, just sitting here, doodling, waiting for the server to get sorted out, which it will no doubt, with no need for hysterics on my part. What a great bunch of guys i get the pleasure of working with. Thanks yo.
