Why MMOGs aren’t for everyone

First, I should explain what an MMOG is. An MMOG is a Massively Multi-player Online Game. It is a computer game that links many (often millions) of player together and they play the game, interacting with each other and adding the “personal” touch to the game. Great idea, right? Maybe if the players were more representative of a real community but they aren’t even close. Imagine a world made mostly of teenage boys. Not teenagers in general because a more gender friendly player base would probably be more civil.

Ok, so I’ve been playing MMOG games for a while now and consider myself to understand the games. If you haven’t gathered yet why they suck: There are too many high school boys playing! Yes, they are the major audience and yes, they can dedicate much more time to the game (thus are often better) then other players. However, high school age boys are some of the most self-centered and egotistical people in the world! It is nearly impossible to play the game without somehow coming into contact with a player that wants to explain in great detail how awful you are at the game or how badly your equipment sucks. Do these people not have something better to do? Or, maybe they just got pushed around at school and in-game they can be mean to others and thus put a sad balance into their lives.

I don’t want to communicate with these kids in normal life but unfortunately it’s impossible to avoid them in these games. It’s too bad such a great work of software programming is overrun by these guys.