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Blizzard admits to 'grossly underestimating demand' for World of Warcraft in 2004

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Events, real-world, Launches

If World of Warcraft is credited with a smooth initial launch, that's only because time tends to smooth over the growing pains that come with every MMO. Blizzard co-founder Frank Pearce was quite up-front with the studio's stumbles in 2004 as WoW launched to unprecedented demand; he's admitted that Blizzard execs "grossly underestimated" how many people wanted to play the game, forcing the company to cease shipping boxes to stores while tech was improved to deal with the influx.

"I don't think we had any idea what we were getting ourselves into," Pearce said at the recent DICE executive summit. The studio quickly ramped up from its 500-employee taskforce to 4,700 people in 11 cities across the world.

Pearce also addressed the issue of addiction in MMOs, saying that Blizzard "think[s] about it all of the time. If there's something that you're really passionate about, whether it's video games, a book, a TV series [or something else]... we have to consume it in moderation."

Blizzard admits to 'grossly underestimating demand' for World of Warcraft in 2004 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study links MMOs to 'problem' game-playing

Jef Reahard — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous

Despite the fact that video game addiction lacks both a definition and a diagnosis, "researchers around the world continue to investigate methods of determining, treating, and preventing" it, according to Gamespot.

The American Psychiatric Association recently rejected a movement to incorporate game addiction into its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but that hasn't stopped folks at the National Development and Research Institute from publishing the findings from a survey conducted with 3,380 adult gamers.

The study found that five percent of participants reported "moderate to extreme problem game-playing." Commonly reported problem titles included Call of Duty, the Grand Theft Auto series, online poker games, and World of Warcraft. The team concluded that "there is evidence to suggest that problem game-playing is linked to particular kinds of game genres" and that further research is needed.

Study links MMOs to 'problem' game-playing originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amateur documentary tackles online game addiction

Brendan Drain — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Video, Culture, Guilds, News items

Countless documentaries have investigated gaming addiction and the supposed dangers lurking in massively multiplayer titles, but it's not often that someone who's experienced an addiction talks about it himself. Third year film student and ex World of Warcraft junkie Anthony Rosner looks back on his six years in the game in a new short documentary on the effects of MMO addiction. With help from friends Dave Novis and Arron Amo, Anthony produced, directed, wrote, and edited the film himself, ensuring that he had the opportunity to tell his whole story and tell it from his own perspective.

Titled IRL - In Real Life, the film takes a largely light-hearted look at Anthony's past but still manages to tackle the big issues. "I used to wake up early, log on, play all day, and then go to sleep," Anthony recalls, adding the sobering note that this was his routine "for over 400 days of my life." Most of us can sympathise with people who feel isolated in the most social type of game there is, or who feel like running a guild is a full-time job. Anthony tackles these issues and talks about how he dragged himself out of them. The film's high production quality and authentic voice offer a glimpse into a world to which we can all relate. Check out the full video after the cut.

Continue reading Amateur documentary tackles online game addiction

Amateur documentary tackles online game addiction originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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South Korea puts the 'Cinderella Law' into effect

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items, Legal, Miscellaneous

South Korea's burgeoning online gaming market has brought the country a great deal of business success, but it's also brought the dread specter of video game addiction to the forefront of public awareness. Hoping to curb addiction before it starts, the country has brought into effect a new law requiring all online games to block players under age 16 from playing between midnight and 6 a.m. Dubbed the "Cinderella Law," it also affects online services such as PlayStation Network and XBox Live.

As expected, the law has several vocal critics, who assert that the law infringes upon the civil rights of children. The Korea Association of Game Industry, a group including companies such as Nexon and NCsoft, is in the midst of preparing a lawsuit based on its claim that the law is excessively prohibitive. Of course, many gamers have been trying to circumvent the ban already by connecting to Western servers, which have no such restriction... although it could be argued that connecting to another country's servers just to play for a six-hour period sort of reinforces the whole argument about addiction.

South Korea puts the 'Cinderella Law' into effect originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Addicted gamer shares his struggle to find balance between the real world and the virtual world

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, News items, Miscellaneous

While Tucson's KVOA may not be so well-versed in MMOs as to distinguish between Gears of War and Dark Age of Camelot, the local news station put together an interesting little piece on online game addiction nevertheless.

The brief report highlights the story of Elijah Oster, a father and husband who got so pulled into MMOs that he began to neglect his family and suffer from insomnia. He admits that he failed to "budget enough time" for his loved ones, and would grow irritable when his wife interrupted his play sessions.

Behavioral health counselor Jeffrey Friedman was brought in to comment on game addiction, which he says is similar to most forms of addition in that people's actions are dictated by what will cause them the least emotional pain. In this case, it's becoming overly dependent on an online world instead of the real one. Friedman works at the Cottonwood Tucson center.

The report concludes with Oster sharing what he realized after treatment: "I started understanding the concept of balance."

Addicted gamer shares his struggle to find balance between the real world and the virtual world originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: MMO slot machines

Jeremy Stratton — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

We are beginning to drown in a sea of MMOs that are shedding variety to mimic simplified slot machines. The danger in this is that MMO gameplay is becoming akin to gambling. Enjoyment of minute-to-minute gameplay is being replaced by hours of frustration unless we manage to match three-of-a-kind to get our loot drops. The success of the games isn't resting on the shoulders of enjoyable content but on the prizes to be won by schlepping through that content. We're letting developers know this not just by playing these games but by literally asking for more of the same.

The result is that money flies into developers' hands while they skirt the boundaries of ethics by supplying "gameplay" soaked in habitual greed, delivering to players only the barest skeleton of an MMO.

Continue reading The Soapbox: MMO slot machines

The Soapbox: MMO slot machines originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chinese couple sell their kids to pay for online gaming

Jef Reahard — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, News items

It's time for the omg-that's-bloody-awful story of the week (and no we're not talking about the price of Star Wars: The Old Republic's collector's edition). According to ABC News, a Chinese couple has been apprehended for selling three children to bankroll their online gaming activities.

Li Lin and Li Juan sold their baby daughter for approximately $500 as well as two sons for $4,600 each. The Sanxiang City News reported that the couple were turned over to authorities by Li Lin's mother. The newspaper also stated that the couple were unaware that they were breaking any laws, and said that "we don't want to raise them, we just want to sell them for some money."

Chinese couple sell their kids to pay for online gaming originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Divorce Online highlights cases caused by "gaming addiction"

Jef Reahard — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous

Divorce Online, a do-it-yourself website that facilitates the filing of separation proceedings sans lawyers, says that a significant percentage of its "unreasonable behavior" petitions stem from cases of gaming addiction.

The website highlights the fact that out of the 200 women who filed petitions between January and April of 2011, 15 percent featured complaints relating to spousal neglect in favor of titles like World of Warcraft and the Call of Duty series.

Despite the fact that gaming addiction is not currently considered an actual addiction by the medical community, Game Politics notes Divorce Online's use of author Ryan Van Cleave in its press release. "A lot of the problem spouses encounter with video game addiction is that the non-gamer doesn't appreciate that it's an addiction. This means it's not a choice to spend so much time in a virtual environment versus time with the spouse and family. It's a compulsion," he says.

Divorce Online highlights cases caused by "gaming addiction" originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzard comments on video games addiction documentary

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Miscellaneous

Video game addiction is hardly a new subject around these here parts, but it still remains a much-discussed and controversial topic even so. Today, BBC investigative journalism program Panorama will add to the conversation with an in-depth look into the causes of gaming addiction and the consequences of players who become a little too hooked. The episode, titled "Addicted to gaming?", is expected to come down harshly against the practices of video game studios.

According to CVG, it's no surprise that the documentary is airing the very night that World of Warcraft: Cataclysm launches, as Panorama uses WoW as one of its key examples. One of the stories follows the tale of Chris Dandos, a teenager who stopped going to school to play WoW for up to 20 hours a day.

In response to the episode's focus, Blizzard released the following comment: "Our games are designed to be fun... but like all forms of entertainment... day-to-day life should always take precedence. World of Warcraft contains practical tools that assist players and parents in monitoring playing time."

Blizzard comments on video games addiction documentary originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft sued for making Lineage II too darned addictive

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lineage 2, Legal

Can a video game publisher be successfully sued for releasing a game that makes players want to play it compulsively? That's the question of the hour in the USA, as Lineage II player Craig Smallwood levied a $3 million negligence suit against NCsoft for making the game too addictive. Smallwood found himself playing the MMO for over 20,000 hours in the last five years, to the point where he is unable to function normally in real life -- and he claims it's NCsoft's fault for not warning him in advance. Smallwood's gameplay averaged around 11 hours per day during that period.

Surprisingly, a federal judge has allowed the suit to proceed against the South Korean publisher, stating that "the court finds that plaintiff has stated a claim for both negligence and gross negligence." NCsoft has appealed and asked the judge to dismiss the case. The situation gets more interesting when you consider that Smallwood had his Lineage II accounts banned for alleged grey market RMT activity, although he claims that was a ploy by NCsoft to force players like himself to move over to Aion.

Video game addiction is no new issue, to be sure, but it's interesting that this case seeks to shift the blame from the player to the game company itself. This raises a whole host of new questions. Should publishers be required to slap their products with warning labels? Is there no personal responsibility when it comes to playing MMORPGs? We will have to wait and see if Smallwood's suit succeeds, and what, if any, fallout may occur from the attempt.

NCsoft sued for making Lineage II too darned addictive originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study finds that 75% of online gamers purchase virtual goods

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Economy, Free-to-play

Are you one of the steadfast, stalwart gamers who absolutely refuses to shell out money on cash shops, microtransactions and virtual services apart from subscriptions? If so, you're in the minority -- a study by VGMarket showed that three out of every four online gamers purchased a virtual good in the past year. This shouldn't come as a surprise, however.

The survey isn't strictly indicative of MMORPG gamers; it was taken from over 2,200 players who were either part of PlaySpan Marketplace, Facebook, or purchasers of Ultimate Game Cards. Still, the results are fascinating, as a whopping 64% admitted to spending money on cash-shop items at least once a month, with 9% going so far as paying for virtual goods on a daily basis.

Other statistics from the survey are equally interesting. PC gamers spent an average of $37 a year on virtual goods, and PayPal is by far the most popular method of payment. Oh, and the most-purchased good? In-game currency. (There, that shouldn't be too controversial, right? Right?) You can read the full survey results over at VentureBeat!

Study finds that 75% of online gamers purchase virtual goods originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Korea institutes nighttime shutdown for underaged MMO players

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items

"You've been playing long enough, it's time to do something else now." It's a statement you'd expect to hear from your parent, but from your government? The Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has introduced a set of policies known as "nighttime shutdown" for underage users -- an enforced six hour blackout time. According to today's report in the Korean Herald, kids can choose the start time for their six hour window -- midnight, 1:00 a.m., or 2:00 a.m., and internet access will automatically shut down at that time for six hours.

The point of this new "curfew" of sorts is to help curtail video game addiction among Korean citizens, a problem that's been making headlines off and on for a while. While it's only in the testing phase at the moment -- it affects four games right now, including Dungeon Fighter Online and Dragon Nest -- it will eventually expand to include 19 of the most popular online games in Korea, such as Mabinogi and MapleStory. The new policies aren't limited to nighttime shutdown, either. If an underage player is online for a significant amount of time online, a "slowdown" will come into effect, throttling back the user's connection speed and presumably making it much more difficult to play.

You can read the full story in the Korean Herald.

[Thanks to Amana for the tip!]

Korea institutes nighttime shutdown for underaged MMO players originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO Family: When enough is enough

Lisa Poisso — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Kids, MMO Family, Miscellaneous

MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family ... From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family.

Whether yours is the kind of family with "screen time" limits or the type that takes a more laissez-faire approach to logging in, there comes a point when enough is enough. Plenty of pixels and ink have been devoted to the debate over whether or not internet and gaming overuse should be considered an "addiction." What we're here to discuss is how gaming affects your family. As parents who game, we should be in a unique position to appreciate, respect and guide our children's attraction to games. But sometimes in the crush of day-to-day living, it's easy to let those last few minutes slip into half an hour ... past an hour ... into the evening ... into a habit that's begun eating away at family balance.

To help parents recognize when their children's gaming may have passed what's reasonable and productive for them as individuals, we touched base with psychiatrist Dr. Kourosh Dini (author of Video Game Play and Addiction: A Guide for Parents and himself a gamer). Statistics on gaming use, he explains, show that most gamers manage to balance gaming with their daily lives without negative consequences. "In fact ... sometimes what one can gain from a game is quite profound," he observes. "The person's mind and the video games together set the stage - either for benefit or for detriment." A gaming schedule that suffocates one child's motivation and energy might buoy another through social problems at school. Our mission: to keep the mix healthy, productive and fun.

Continue reading MMO Family: When enough is enough

MMO Family: When enough is enough originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blogger discusses EverQuest addiction

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: EverQuest, Culture, Opinion

It's easy to talk about gaming addiction as an abstract concept, but whether or not you think the idea holds a lot of water there are an awful lot of studies and examinations of it that just won't go away. Still, the concept is easy to deny. The human element, however, makes it much more real and that much harder to ignore. Which is why, ultimately, it's probably a good thing for everyone that Kotaku's editor Mike Fahey has written up his story of his EverQuest addiction -- the origin, the escalation, and the recovery of sorts.

Mike describes how the death of his relationship led to him escaping into the video game that increasingly was preferrable to his normal life -- which, in turn, led to him winding up without his car, then without a job, and then ultimately to the point that we could probably see coming, where the game became preferrable to pursuing a romantic relationship. He chronicles the downward slide, followed by the slow crawl back out of being addicted -- but, at the end, he doesn't conclude that EverQuest itself is the problem.

As he himself puts it regarding his addiction: "I hid. I ran from my problems, hiding away in a virtual fantasy world instead of confronting the issues that might have been easily resolved if I had addressed them directly." His story focuses not upon the game, but on his own responses and how they were what was ultimately responsible for what happened and where he wound up. It's an interesting piece for the conclusion alone, and worth reading for anyone with even the slightest stake in the topic of game addiction -- which, for those of us who play MMOs, should really just include all of us.

Blogger discusses EverQuest addiction originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The perils of covering game addiction

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Education

Gamers will argue almost endlessly over which games are the best, which ones were most important, what the proper way to play is... but one thing we almost universally agree on is that we are not addicted. We all know the arguments -- the guy who plays sixteen hours a day in his parents' basement would have acted like that anyway, it's just a game, he doesn't have a substance addiction. Why even bring it up?

Neils Clark, author of Game Addiction, wrote up a post about ten fallacies in addressing game addiction. The point of the piece, rather than concluding whether or not it's worth discussing, is to point out the ways in which many of the arguments on both sides are inherently flawed. The first point, for instance, is taking on the oft-quoted stance that "well, games aren't drugs" by laying out the many kinds of repeated behaviors that psychologists already recognize as potential addictions and treat accordingly.

MMORPGs, more than perhaps any other genre, are usually replete with tales of utter addicts and non-stop players. The article is worth reading if you care even the slightest bit about the topic, because it reminds us that the elephant is not a part of the furniture. It's an elephant, and it's the sort of thing that needs to be addressed -- especially as the genre expands its appeal and its user base.

[ via GamePolitics ]

The perils of covering game addiction originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: You were on my mind...

William Dobson — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind

MMOs have a tendency to be very addictive, arguably more so than other game genres. Even if you are very strict with yourself and try to limit your play-time, we bet you can think of a time when you were super excited about a new MMO you had just started playing, and experienced something similar to the opening lyrics of the song in the video above: "When I woke up this morning, you were on my mind." Okay, so they're talking about loving a person and not digital entertainment, but MMOs weren't so big when that song was written in the 1960s.

This morning, we would like you to share how much you think about your MMOs when you're not actually playing them. Simply being at this website means there's a good chance that you are invested in your games beyond just logging in and playing. Do you talk with friends and co-workers about your gaming exploits? Does thinking about your next play session ever get in the way of your productivity in daily life? Perhaps you can turn it off like a light-switch, never allowing yourself to be distracted any more than you want to be. Or maybe you simply find a way to get online whenever you're jonesing. Let us know in the comments section.

The Daily Grind: You were on my mind... originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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German Social Affairs Minister wants WoW classified 'Adults Only'

James Egan — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Legal

We've been reporting more and more lately on MMO censorship and legislation abroad, most recently with the troubles World of Warcraft faces in China. The latest news that we've come across comes to us from Germany where the Minister for Social Affairs in Lower Saxony, Mechtchild Ross-Luttman, wants to restrict sales of violent video games to minors in general, imposing fines of up to €50,000 for those caught selling these titles. She also wants to give MMO titles like World of Warcraft an "adults only" rating. This reaction to violence in video games comes in the wake of the tragic school shootings which occurred recently in Germany.

GameCulture reports: "The proposals come on the heels of a survey by the Kriminologischen Forschuginstituts Nidersachsen (the criminal research institute of Lower Saxony), which reported that 14,000 9th graders in Germany are addicted to videogames, particularly World of Warcraft and first-person shooters."

Continue reading German Social Affairs Minister wants WoW classified 'Adults Only'

German Social Affairs Minister wants WoW classified 'Adults Only' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft as addictive as cocaine? BS!

Tateru Nino — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Culture, News items, Opinion, Academic

The Swedish Youth Care Foundation has an upcoming report in which they describe World of Warcraft as "the cocaine of the computer games world", indicating that it has been involved in every case of gaming addiction that they have dealt with. As the report is not yet published, it doesn't indicate what other games might be involved.

Swedish news outlet, The Local, interprets this with the headline 'World of Warcraft is as addictive as cocaine', a statement that is neither supported by the quotes, nor apparently supported in fact. The addiction rate for cocaine is 5-6% per use during the first decade and 15-16% per use thereafter. If World of Warcraft were really that addictive, then umpty-million players would be well and truly addicted -- a fact not in evidence. The Local's headline therefore, appears to be purest hype (or as we like to think of it, an attention-getting lie).

Continue reading World of Warcraft as addictive as cocaine? BS!

World of Warcraft as addictive as cocaine? BS! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: How do you handle burnout?

Brendan Drain — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Expansions, MMO industry, Opinion, Hands-on, EVE Evolved

Burnout is something that affects all MMOs and most players experience it at one point or another. Your favourite game stops being as fun as it used to be and you don't feel like logging in. We all handle this in our own way. As a long-time MMO gamer, I've faced burnout many times in games ranging from EVE Online to Everquest 2 and World of Warcraft. I've quit the latter two games several times due to burnout but somehow even after playing EVE for five years (five years exactly on Tuesday 24th), it has never made me quit even when I've burned out. So how do you handle burnout and what makes EVE so special?

In this short article, I discuss burnout in MMOs and the different ways I've handled it over the years in EVE Online. Read on as I explain why EVE is the only MMO that has never made me quit.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: How do you handle burnout?

EVE Evolved: How do you handle burnout? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Analysts praise free-to-play MMOs, casually insult MMO players

Michael Zenke — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models

A thoughtful Reuters piece explores a concept that MMO players have themselves been talking about since the economy began to take a downturn. Free to play MMOs, which have been gaining in popularity in the US for years, may be one of the biggest winners of this depressed financial situation. The article explores the benefits and increasingly high quality of online titles that don't require a subscription fee. While South Korea and other Asian countries have long enjoyed a strong connection with inexpensive social online gaming, that message is only just reaching saturation here in the states.

What's troubling to this blogger is that amid this very common-sense analysis, one of the most well-known commentators on videogaming sees fit to take a cheap swipe at a cross-section of gamers. Said Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Morgan: "I don't think (online multiplayer games) get impacted at all, because people who play them are addicts ... Losing their jobs makes them more likely to play because they have more time to play." It's frustrating that one of the few business analysts out there in the business world that understands gaming could be so dismissive of the online gaming genre. We'd like to suggest he do a bit more research in the future on this subject before making snappy statements like that.

Analysts praise free-to-play MMOs, casually insult MMO players originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chinese game addicts seek help in progressive Internet addiction centers

James Egan — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items, Virtual worlds

As the Chinese race ahead to catch up with the West, they do so with the intent of creating better lives for themselves. The past several years have been characterized by rapid progression, but all those perks of modernization come with a price, which some of China's citizens are beginning to pay.

As incomes rise, so does the prevalence of the various maladies of modernization we've come to know well -- not limited to obesity, substance abuse, and addiction. While an addiction to a substance has a physiological aspect to it and is rarely disputed as a true addiction, non-material addictions to work, sex, and even shopping are on the rise in China. Such issues have been difficult to officially label as actual mental illnesses in the country. Others, like Internet addiction, have only recently been classified as such in China.

Continue reading Chinese game addicts seek help in progressive Internet addiction centers

Chinese game addicts seek help in progressive Internet addiction centers originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FCC Commissioner blames WoW for college drop-outs

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Real life, Culture, Politics

Yes! Finally, we have a new target of blame for college drop-outs. According to FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate, online game addiction - namely World of Warcraft - is "one of the top reasons for college drop-outs." And here I was thinking it had something to do with decreased funding for education or lowered standards for college admission. Silly me.

This statement by Tate was in addition to a similar statement by University of Minnesota Duluth officials that voiced the same concern in an interview with GamePolitics. Needless to say, they're pretty fired up about this over at our sister site WoW Insider with what is mounting up to 130+ comments on the post so far! Leave us your own comments below and let us know what you think about this.

FCC Commissioner blames WoW for college drop-outs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pascal's thoughts on multiplayer games

Alexis Kassan — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Academic

Pascal Luban at Gamasutra is now up to part three in his series on the multiplayer megatrend in the game industry. Part one explored how game creators use multiplayer modes, online distribution, and downloadable content to increase the life span of the game. Microtransactions are also used to increase the money-making potential and also increase the speed at which "fast games" can be consumed. Finally, he explored how more interactive, believable environments enhance the gaming experience and will continue to do so as rendering abilities increase over time.

The second article explored the accessibility of games and the need to play them in smaller bursts rather than long marathon sessions. This stems mainly from the types of players (meaning more casual and older players). The latest discussion is around cooperative games, quality control, mobile gaming. And then, buried on page 4 of the article, is the bit that hits us hard - asking once again if MMOs are a public health risk. There have been claims for years now that gaming addiction is a very real problem - and there have been many answers over that time. For us, we just know that we love the games and are going to continue playing them... and looking forward to the last part of this article series.

Pascal's thoughts on multiplayer games originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gaming may be social problem, not an addiction

Seraphina Brennan — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, News items

The head of the Smith & Jones Centre, the first and only clinic that treats "gaming addiction" in Europe, has now said that he believes gaming may not be an addiction after all.

Keith Bakker, the founder of the clinic, is now saying that compulsive gaming behavior may be a social behavior rather than a psychological addiction. Through treating so many of the gamers that have walked through the clinic's doors, Bakker has realized that while the symptoms appear to be addiction, the sources of the problems are on a more social and emotional level

Continue reading Gaming may be social problem, not an addiction

Gaming may be social problem, not an addiction originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO addiction drives man to poison family

James Egan — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items, Legal

Addiction as it applies to MMOs and internet activity in general is a contentious issue. Many of the more unusual or extreme stories regarding the actions that result from digital addiction tend to come to us from Asia, especially China. The pace and fervor with which China's internet savvy population has seized the web and all that it offers -- both good and bad -- is staggering. The web has become integral to entertainment in China, particularly for the younger generation, but it's brought with it a host of societal problems and crime.

Only days ago, the Chinese government classified Internet addiction as a mental disease, a fact which may well stay the execution of Hu Ange, a 22-year-old man who poisoned his own parents... apparently so they would not interfere with his addiction to the online game Legend. Hu was sentenced to death, but the case is now being appealed on the grounds that he is mentally ill.

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MMO addiction drives man to poison family originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are you actually addicted?

Tateru Nino — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion

Here at Massively, we spend a lot of time with MMOGs [Well, duh! -- ed], and even more time at our desks and computers, scouring news, doing research and all of that. By non-gamer standards, we spend an immoderate amount of our weeks in front of our monitors, either actively gaming -- or writing about it.

It isn't fair to say we're actually addicted to it, though. We still actually have normal lives, families, commitments, relationships and all the other hurly-burly of daily life. Spending a lot of time doing something, or even making an unusual activity a high-priority doesn't qualify as addiction, unless it is causing you harm in some way. You might as well say that a person who has lost the use of their legs is addicted to wheelchairs and handicapped parking spaces, or that a ball-player is addicted to the game, while still maintaining a normal life. No harm, no foul; as they say.

With that in mind, dear readers, we've got a tough question for you to think about. Are you actually addicted? Oh, we often like to say we are, but is your passion for MMOGs (or for one MMOG in particular) so strong that it actually interferes with the rest of your life, or are your life's various elements all in working order?

The Daily Grind: Are you actually addicted? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dr. Phil solves our online gaming addiction problems

Shawn Schuster — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Culture, Politics

On this past Monday's episode, the Dr. Phil Show explored online gaming addiction with some special guests who have lived through some nightmare situations. As is expected with a daytime TV show like this, the focus was on the negative effects of online gaming on families, finances and a person's well-being. Maybe they need to do a show on the dangers of watching daytime TV all day?

We'd imagine you could guess our views on something like this, and we'd assume that most of you share this same opinion. Sure, genuine addiction that leads to a total neglect of responsibilities is a serious issue, but when non-gamers see something like this, they jump to conclusions about how all online gamers are addicts. As someone once pointed out in the comments section of a previous post on this same issue, anything can become an addiction. You can become addicted to exercise with the exact same results as we see on this show. Regardless, this issue will continue to be showcased by the major media as online gaming's popularity grows. Check out an interesting post-show development from one of that episode's guests, and share with us some of your thoughts on the subject.

Dr. Phil solves our online gaming addiction problems originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan conquers The Big Bang Theory

Samuel Axon — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Culture, News items

This week's episode of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory prominently featured Age of Conan, and its A-story dealt in a light-hearted way with online gaming addiction. If you're unfamiliar with the show, the premise is as follows: two extremely geeky twenty-something males -- both scientists at Caltech -- move in across the hall from a pretty but not-too-terribly sophisticated blonde woman. Commence unlikely friendship and all the humor that comes with it!

In this week's episode, one of the two geeks is playing Age of Conan when the girl comes over. She starts playing the game and becomes addicted, rejecting responsibilities and basic hygiene for the remainder of the episode. The premise sounds typical, but the episode has a certain wink-like-quality to it. It's all in good humor, and there are a lot of inside jokes that only players of the game could get.

Funcom's active participation becomes evident when cut-scenes rendered exclusively for the show make an appearance. It's likely that Funcom paid for this product placement, actually. We've embedded a brief clip after the break, but you should check out other (unembeddable) scenes at the show's website (watch any clip from season two, episode three), but be aware that CBS insists on living in some long-dead century by not making the complete episode available online.

[Thanks, C.A.]

Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!

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Age of Conan conquers The Big Bang Theory originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: How should we fight addiction?

Samuel Axon — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind

We talk about addiction with some regularity here. The genre we cover is designed to be addictive; MMOs that make money are MMOs that keep people subscribed or buying new items for several consecutive months. Latest in a long history of addiction-issue coverage at Massively: a link to the blog of Exgamer, a recovering MMO addict.

Exgamer suggested that some of these games should come with a warning label: "this software can and has been shown to cause addictive behavior." Such a warning might be helpful to consumers who know they're prone to addiction. On the other hand, some folks argue that the software does not on its own cause unhealthy addiction, so the label is unfair.

To deny the basic reality of the MMO addiction problem is ridiculous. But given that agreed-upon premise: how do we curb this? Are warning labels a good idea? Would they even be effective? What measures would you suggest to fight this illness?

The Daily Grind: How should we fight addiction? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recovering MMO addict chronicles his struggle

Adrian Bott — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry

It's easy to be flippant about MMO addiction. On the surface, it sounds like a histrionic misrepresentation of this hobby of ours. Practically all of us will have erred on the side of the unwise at some time or other, putting in more hours in Azeroth, Hyboria or Paragon City than our responsibilities really allowed for. That might be succumbing to a game's addictiveness, but it's not remotely the same as being addicted.

Brad, who calls himself Exgamer on his blog, is a recovering MMO addict, and he's sharing his story with the world through his site. Whatever one might personally think about his stance, his religious outlook or his experiences, the courage and tenacity involved in putting his life out there day by day are unquestionable. There's also a conspicuous lack of blame or finger-pointing, and an explicit refusal to condemn the games themselves or the players.

Brad gives a lucid summary of his position, which we've reproduced after the cut.

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Recovering MMO addict chronicles his struggle originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Confessions of an MMO addict

Shawn Schuster — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Culture, Opinion, Academic

Gaming addiction is a sensitive subject with many gamers, and we'd imagine that many people who are reading this right now may have or have had concerns about their own level of gaming addition at some point. In a recent blog post over at gamezig.com, Blackwings takes a look at some of the warning signs and experiences he's had himself with MMO addiction.

The subject has been discussed to death on so many different levels, but when someone can cite their own experiences, it always brings the truth a bit too close for comfort. Plus, Blackwings says that he wrote this post in anticipation of next week's Warhammer Online release, just to get out one last warning on the evils of MMO addition. This post does a good job of letting you know what to watch out for, without beating you over the head with the guilt stick. It's certainly something to think about.

Confessions of an MMO addict originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Psychologists talk gaming addiction, online friendships

Samuel Axon — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:08:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Interviews, Opinion, Academic

1UP's Scott Sharkey has written an article titled "Hook It to My Veins: Can Videogaming be an Addiction?" in which he provides anecdotal experiences with excessive gaming and conversations with two experts -- researcher/author Neils Clark and psychology lecturer Dr. Nadine Pelling. The conclusion is made pretty quickly: yes, video games can be an addiction. Big surprise there! But the details can be wishy-washy, it turns out.

Virtual worlds are the subject of in-depth analysis. Clark borrows from a theory by J.R.R. Tolkien by suggesting that gaming addiction is about a conflict between what ought to be a primary world, and a secondary fantasy world. Gamers with a problem have difficulty prioritizing, or even acknowledging that the gaming world is secondary. Immersion is an important part of enjoying a game, right? But if you're thinking about how you need to make sure the primary world gets its due attention, then you're not immersed anymore -- so begins the problem.

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Psychologists talk gaming addiction, online friendships originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Addiction, the Internet and virtual worlds

Tateru Nino — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Virtual worlds

The Metaverse Journal's Feldspar Epstein has just finished an three part series exploring addiction, in the context of Virtual Worlds Addiction and Internet Addiction.

While many of us may refer to ourselves as addicts, the fact that these two categories even exist in the public consciousness at all is a testament to fundamental misunderstanding about the nature of both physical and psychological addiction, as Epstein explains.

What is addiction, how does it affect us, and is heavy, regular usage enough to qualify? Check out parts one, two and three, and sit back and consider the role of the Internet and virtual worlds in your life and in the lives of others.

Addiction, the Internet and virtual worlds originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gaming's best kept secret: World of Warcraft

Brenda Holloway — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Culture, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, Academic, Education

Like a child taking his first step, a non-gamer encountering his first MMO is something to be cherished. Two wolves, one cow, and one top-heavy avatar later, Patrick Howe's first foray into "so-called" massively multiplayer games already has him wondering about addiction. Why, usually it takes at least four or five wolves before the average MMO gamer starts checking for the aggro radii of farmyard animals. (Patrick, when you want to know how best to take care of those pesky snow rabbits, we here at Massively.com can point you in the right direction). It's no easy thing to tip a virtual cow and realize you are suddenly standing on the lip of an abyss that contains games that can thrill you, addict you, train soldiers and fight cancer.

Did you know that "there are games that require teams of people -- real people, from all over the world -- to work together to solve problems (although those problems often involve killing monsters)?" It's true! Perhaps one of the things that most surprises Patrick is that there are any benefits to playing MMOs. It's hardly surprising, considering the backdrop for his wolf-slaying excursion was an all-day conference on video game compulsion held at Cuesta College last May. It's easy to throw around that word, compulsion. Some people feel compelled to play. Do MMOs, by requiring long periods of play to build up a character and become part of a raiding guild and take part in raids, to have people depend on you, create compulsion in people otherwise compulsion-free? Or is this just the hysteria that accompanies any new leisure time activity, like music, movies, television or football?

From the outside, non-gamers see us as addicted troglodytes, sitting in silence as we puppet over-stylized characters into ritual murder games. From the inside, we see it as a fun time with friends. But we all know people who really are a little "too" into their game, and need to take a step or two back, before they find themselves seized by eager psychologists hot to warn the unaware public of the latest danger to their poor children's fragile psyches.

Gaming's best kept secret: World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamers are not social misfits after all!

Shawn Schuster — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Academic, Education

It's been what, three hours since we've heard the last research study on gaming addiction? It almost seems like we could feed every starving child in the world with this research money given to these studies, but with the ever-growing popularity of online gaming, the concern is certainly no surprise.

In a shocking change of pace though, a recent study conducted by Australia's Victoria University psychology Honours graduate Dan Loton shows that gamers are in fact not social rejects. Out of 621 gamers -- mostly male, mostly Australian -- only 93 could be described as "problem gamers". This is defined as people who spend more than 50 hours a week playing online games. Curiously enough, Loton added, "We found that those who played Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games, such as World of Warcraft, were more likely to exhibit problematic game play." Aww, and we were so close, too.

Gamers are not social misfits after all! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Player vs. Everything: Why won't you just take a break?

Cameron Sorden — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, Academic, Player vs. Everything

Everyone plays MMOGs at different speeds. Some people spend just a few hours a week playing, and some of us spend altogether far too much time on these games. I submit, for evidence, that 4-hour raids three nights per week is considered a "light raiding schedule" by most raiding standards. That's almost a part-time job, when you count the time you spend farming for mats and doing random other runs on top of that! Still, it doesn't matter how much time you actually spend playing -- anyone can get pretty wrapped up in their favorite game. Even a "casual" player can get to the point where they're just playing because it's what they do, instead of playing because they're having fun.

Whether you play for 5 hours each week or 50 hours each week, sometimes it's good to step back, take a breather, and get off the game for a while. Right? It seems so simple, so obvious. "Yes, of course it's good to take a break," you say, nodding along with me. "Just as soon as I get my Tier 9 Sword, Epic Firetruck, and Gleeful Gnome Pet, I'll do that. Though, I should really wait until my Tier 10 Sword and Mega-Epic Firetruck... and then help my guildies get theirs." Meanwhile, there's that nagging feeling in the back of your mind: Is this actually fun?

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Player vs. Everything: Why won't you just take a break? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 May 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are you addicted to your MMO?

Akela Talamasca — Sat, 17 May 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind

Sure, it's fun to say that you're addicted to your favorite MMO, but for some people, it might actually be true. If you can't stop thinking of playing during those rare moments when you're away from the computer; if you miss work or school because of play; if your friends and family express concern over your pastime, you might want to consider if it's time to take a step back. In fact, here's a handy guide to overcoming MMO addiction.

But as serious as actual addiction is, only you can decide for yourself if you've crossed the line. And it can be somewhat tricky to make that distinction. What do you think, are you perilously close to being addicted to your favorite MMO, or can you quit whenever you want?

The Daily Grind: Are you addicted to your MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 May 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSNBC readers rate World of Warcraft as most addicting game

Seraphina Brennan — Sun, 11 May 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, News items, Opinion, Academic

Kristen Kalning, the games editor of MSNBC, asked her readers, "What game hooked you and why?" After the flood of e-mails finished cascading through her inbox and she tallied the votes in each one, it wasn't surprising that World of Warcraft came up as the leader.

While she does say that other games like City of Heroes, and other non MMO games like Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, and even Guitar Hero came up, her article took the time to mostly focus on the addicting properties of WoW. Readers added their own tales of addiction and the addiction of others, and Kalning relates some of the most woe-worthy stories she received in her inbox.

However, the article isn't all doom and gloom. One reader took the time to talk about how Guild Wars helped her with her shyness while another reader explained the proud feeling his Halo 3 accomplishments give him. It's always nice to see that games aren't harming the social habits of every gamer who picks up a controller or keyboard and mouse.

If you're fascinated by addiction, or just looking for a story to scare your WoW addicted spouse, be sure to drop by and check out her article, as well as the original. If it's the addicted spouse, however, may we interest you in a detox clinic?

MSNBC readers rate World of Warcraft as most addicting game originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 May 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are you an MMO fanboi?

Shawn Schuster — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Humor

We all love massively multiplayer games. Otherwise we wouldn't be here reading this right now. But when does your love for a certain game become an unhealthy obsession? We're not talking about addiction, but we're talking about defending your favorite game regardless of the problems the game may have or what the game's developers might do to completely change the difficulty level.

There can be a fanboi (an interestingly unisex term) for every context, but for the sake of this article, we're going to focus on the fanboi as it pertains to MMO gaming. It's safe to say that most of us can consider ourselves fanbois in one form or another. The question is, do you realize the severity of your fanboi-itis? Are you in fanboi denial? How many times can I say fanboi in one paragraph?

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Are you an MMO fanboi? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 May 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virtual Worlds Help In Addiction Therapy

Adrian Bott — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Academic, Virtual worlds

Virtual worlds are all too often spoken of as something you're in danger of becoming addicted to. We've all heard the stories of inertia, bloat, pallor and unemptied cat trays. But Professor Patrick Bordnick, associate of the University of Houston, is using VR to help treat addictions in the course of therapy.

As Professor Bordnick points out, imagination alone isn't a particularly powerful tool to recreate the situations in which a recovering addict learns to say 'no': 'As a therapist, I can tell you to pretend my office is a bar, and I can ask you to close your eyes and imagine the environment, but you'll know that it's not real'.

Rather than ask the patient to visualise a bar stocked with alcohol or a party where cigarettes are on offer, Bordnick uses a VR helmet along with other components such as olfactory stimulation and actor participation to create a highly plausible and immersive environment. Although the patient consciously knows he is taking part in a VR simulation, the immersion has proven sufficient to build intense cravings, just as if the focus of the addiction had really been present.

By supplying an enviroment that is realistic enough to stimulate cravings but remains controlled and safe, Bordnick can gradually train patients in the use of coping skills. As those skills will have been developed in the face of a close analogue of the real thing, the patient is much better equipped to contend with the challenge of the real-world situation.

Virtual Worlds Help In Addiction Therapy originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 May 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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