Contextual Studies 03

In searching for effects that MMORPGs like World of Warcraft have on people, I have come across many stories of incidents of extreme MMO addiction, where the player had become so immersed in this virtual world that they have neglected their own, and even others, health. These articles are heavily conveyed in the media as incidents citing why MMO games are bad and should be banned or restricted but few of these stories have good outcomes. But as once said, 'There is no news like bad news'. So after continuing searching I began to look for stories that we've all heard about but needed examples of, stories where lasting relationships have come out of online games. This is how I found a website devoted entirely to couples who had met online through the play medium and developed strong lasting relationships that grew from teamwork and co operative play.

Author Unknown, (2009), MMO couples, http://mmocouples.wordpress.com/, last accessed: 03/05/12

  It would be remiss of me however to ignore the media frenzy invoking stories of neglect caused by online games, so I took a recent example of child neglect linked to gaming as an extreme example of the negative affect of such immersive and expansive games.

Thompson, Paul (June 2011), Daily Mail, available from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1394903/, last accessed 04/05/12

Author Unknown, Video Game Addiction: When Video Games are more than just Games…, (http://www.video-game-addiction.org/what-makes-games-addictive.html, last accessed 04/05/12

 I also need to go into more detail about how the games early fps were the first to pioneer multiplayer as a social experience and I need to look more into the psychology of games, why we enjoy them so much.