The Daily Grind: Do MMOs belong in the mainstream?

Big Bang Theory had both Conan and WoW (WoW was in the pilot and second episode with the "Sword of Azeroth") and "How I met your mother" Ted met some crazy broad through Warcraft... cause that never happens in real life.

I've gamed since the Atari 2600, PC gamed since DOS 3.1, played D&D 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Ed, and have a large Magic:the Gathering collection. I have not, however, played either Mass Effect game, so I guess I'm not a real gamer? Oh, and that "Middle-Management Man" or "Soccer Mom" could have been a gamer since playing D&D Basic and/or the very early electronic games back in the '70s. I know of GRANDPARENTS who are gamers since back then.

Back to the subject at hand, gaming going mainstream just means that there will be more games that do not interest you but interest others.

@Devv

And it doesn't make you any less of a soccer mom.

@lame

... says the Aion fan... /rolleyes

@szsleepy

So what if someone is a "Soccer Mom" or a "Middle-Management Man?" How does that make them less of a gamer? Is it because they have lives outside of video games or because someone does not let games rule their life? It seems like you think people who don't share your point-of-view or play the games you do aren't gamers. The fact that most professional gamers play RTSs and FPSs further discredits you.

You seem to regard yourself as some sort of authority, when clearly you are a jaded individual and quite possibly a troll, getting off in a dark cellar somewhere. You've already shown the community here how ignorant and biased you are.

Now, if szsleepy just said something like "just because someone plays games doesn't make them a gamer," I would agree with that, just like playing street hockey in your neighborhood doesn't make one an athlete or selling a few things on e-Bay doesn't make one an entrepreneur. However, being a gamer can't accurately be measured by the act of playing a handful of games, no matter how good those games are or perceived by some to be.

Those who don't see the OP's issue have obviously not been party to the huge flamewars on various MMO forums where "Hardcore" gamers lament the introduction of "Casual" gamers to their world. The "Casual" gamer has caused MMO companies to "dumb down" their games to make them easy for the "Casuals" to play. And it is certainly true that I haven't heard raid war stories like I used to hear from UO or EQ. But is that bad? It might be for the Hardcore gamer. Companies are going to go where the money is, and that's with the numbers which are the Casual gamers. There are still games for the Hardcore gamer, like EVE. But they aren't the focus anymore, its true.

Regarding the off-topic argument of who is allowed to call themselves a gamer, I submit most people who aren't really into gaming wouldn't call themselves gamers anyway. People may do crafts but don't usually call themselves an "Artist" unless they are really serious or professionals.

However, I really like gaming, have played all kinds of games from board games to pnp rpg to video, and play games more than I do any of my other hobbies. So even tho I have never played any FPS or "hardcore" adventure game (MA, et al) I call myself a gamer. But you know what? I really don't care if you think I'm not :)

what episodes were these? I know make love not warcraft already, sadly it was a poor interpretation of WoW. The [Sword of 100 truths] Made it as an arena prize IIRC but naturally with some major nerfing (it'd be too powerful if it had the same stats and effect).

Putting mmos in the mainstream is what ruined the genre.

The move into the mainstream is as yet unproven as to whether it is "good for the hardcore gamer geeks" so far it seems all the money is going into yet more dumbed down casual gaming, I have yet to see any serious investment into games that would really fit the niche, mainly I guess because the "old-guard" just don't amount to a big enough target audience in terms of revenue potential, so they end up getting sidelined & forgotten whilst the casual masses march on & that's the big problem, what used to be "their" niche has been taken away from them.