In a recent article on CNET, William Moss observes that in an Internet cafe in China, of the couple of hundred people using the cafe when he visited it, with the exception of two people, everyone else was seen using them to play computer games.
People paying money just to play online games on hourly basis show the pull and popularity of the online games.
Here is an attempt to understand why online games are so popular these days?
An online game literally refers to the type of game, which is played on your computer while you are connected to the Internet. These can be single player games that you play with a remote server or multiplayer games where many users like you are playing with each other.
There was a time when computer games were for the so-called nerds or geeks who were basically solitary beings. With the rise in popularity of the Internet and with broadband access becoming increasingly affordable, the quality of free online games being offered has increased dramatically. Playing games online is no longer a solitary activity. Studies show that it is a social experience that more and more extroverts and out-going people are becoming part of.
Free gaming sites have become the places for players to meet and have social interactions. Popular regulars at gaming sites are a common phenomenon that we all are aware of. These gaming sites typically offer games that range from a quick, casual game during your coffee break to engaging multi-player games.
Why do people play online games?
a. Firstly, the appeal of anonymity. After all you can create a personality for yourself and can be what ever you want to be. This is a very powerful reason for people to hang out at these social sites.
b. Internet is a wonderful medium that enables you to be part of a society where all are equal. Absolutely no discrimination of any variety.
c. The games are becoming increasingly easy to setup. Most of the times you just don’t need a native installation on your PC. A web browser is all you need to play a multiplayer game. This has taken away the operating system related hurdles that one would otherwise have encountered. These games are mostly free and on top of that you don’t have to install anything to enable you to play these games. You just heard of game, perhaps from a friend or through an email or a newsletter. You just go to the gaming website and you are ready to play. No setup related hassles at all. This definitely is a very big contributor to the success and popularity of online games.
d. Online games are popular because they give people who are bored playing with their computer a chance to interact with real opponents. As a player you can chat with other players, you can join hands a few players and scheme against the others, just the way you do in real world, but with the advantage of anonymity.
I am sure there are more reasons. This in itself can be a topic of research for social scientists. Internet is changing the way we live. It is changing the way we play for sure.
Jonathan White
http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/why-do-people-play-online-games-124861.html
7 Comments
Why do people say people who play online games are losers?
I hear alot of online bashing of people who play online video games like World of Warcraft or City of Heroes and such and just wondering where that comes from? I mean, I can understand the people who play it excessively where it gets in the way of relationships and jobs and such but generally I dont think there are that many people that are like that are there? Or does it simply boil down to losers trying to make themselves feel better by putting down people from the safety of their own house?
because they spend there life playign games without knowing what is happening in the real world. they dont know that the world is always turning and they are wasting valuable time. they get addicted to it and lose relationships. they have no friends and never go outside.
one more thing, in gaming tournaments they have to stretch for 5 minutes before playing.
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Decode this lyrics "How we don't talk anymore"
In the real world they are.
In fantasy land of artificial intelligence.
They were learning and mastering communication with artificial intelligence.
Without being aware of being outsmart by a desk-top like themselves.
In time they self destruct without being aware of it.
Luke 9.55-56
What do you think?
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decoded from the missing x-files.
It's not necessasry to make themselves feel better but people to hate on other people that do things they don't understand.
A lot of gamers play to escape real life or have handicaps (like introvertism) that prevent them from going to the outside world. There are also gamer that can live "real lives' but choose not because they simply their games too much.
Gamers and Socialites will most likely never see eye to eye and from each point of view the other side is full of losers.
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Because there is a stigma about online players. I find it really funny when people that come home, turn the tv on and watch tv til they go to bed turn around and say "you need to turn off that darn computer, you spend too much time on there" Both are forms of entertainment but there is a common stigma about the internet and gaming moreso than someone watching tv all day. I don't blame someone for going out hunting or watching a ballgame so they shouldn't blame me as an online gamer. People just need to learn to respect others, their hobbies and lives and keep their nose out of other people's business unless its a case where the person can't make it out to their job, can't ever leave their computer.
I also find it really funny that people think online gamers dont' have friends, family or lives. I happen to be married to a fellow gamer, we have 4 children together and happen to have a very full and happy life so people that wish to say I have no life are just ignorantly stereotyping.
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yeah i think it is just people trying to make themselves feel better or its because they dont know how fun it can be people used to make fun of me and my fiance about playing wow but we have slowly started converting people into playing it and now they are like wow is fun i see why u guys like playing it
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who knows…
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