'Electronic Opium'

I confess. I am a recovering gamehead. I recently read an article entitled 'Are Multiplayer Online Games More Compelling, More Addictive?.' In the article Gregory Lamb discusses the phenomenom of the Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Player Game (MMORPG). Lamb states that literally tens of millions of people worldwide have become addicted to MMORPG because such games allow for the player to live vicariously through their created character.

Now in my case, I have played Star Wars Galaxies, Final Fantasy XI, and World of Warcraft. I would say that my total play time for these three games would definitely be the equivalent of at least one month (and that is extremely modest). Now that's frightening. One month of my life was poured into these games of which have absolutely NO long-term value.

Why are these games so compelling? Nick Yee who has studied online gaming since 1999 and is a graduate student at Stanford University says the following: "For a lot of people, in their real lives they don't get to be a hero. Suddenly, [in the game] they're a cleric who can resurrect a warrior, can save other players. [Or they're a] a wizard who can cast out a rain of fire ... someone with great powers."

It appears that MMORPG grant people some of their greatest desires. It's not about the sorcery, nor is it necessarily about the game itself. It's about the heroism and the respect. It's about the prestige and the opportunities that are available.

I can remember playing World of Warcraft as a Warlock. I used to marvel at the higher leveled Warlocks who were exponentially stronger, and they had obtained their character's high-leveled weaponry. It was definitely an interesting experience. The games are so consuming that I would be in class thinking of what I needed to do on the game for that day. The situation had gotten so bad with these MMORPG for me that I literally prayed to God apologizing for the time that I had lost on such a meaningless kill-time (kill-time because it far surpasses a pass-time).

So what does it appear that millions of people are looking for? People want adventure. They want to be heroes. They want to develop and grow socially. They want to achieve status in groups, yet they want the glory of being an individual. They want responsibilty, and they want a tangible means for the procuration of goods and services.

One thing is certain about these games: they grant the player a sense of purpose. Once we have found our purpose, we will undoubtedly forsake all that is sacred to us in order to obtain this purpose. I used to turn my friends down for outings, I used to skip certain meals, and I would ration my sleep only so that I could achieve more in whichever game I was engulfed in. Show a person purpose, and that person will unquestionable go to great lengths to fulfill his/her destiny.