Editor's note: In his latest musing, Mike takes a sobering look at what happens when real-life tragedy strikes in a game with an online social component. Mike, you have my condolences. -James
Today's games are great. The online systems in place allow us to connect with other gamers all over the world and experience a level of interaction unheard of in previous generations of media.
This is usually a wonderful thing, but these days it can come at the cost of a bit of sadness as well.
As a longtime Everquest player (I know it's old and unpopular…focus!), I have become friends with wonderful people from all over the world. The game enabled us to get to know each other on a level that is beyond what a lot of people experience, especially because face-to-face contact is nonexistent. Sometimes, however, these connections hit you in a different way.
A few days ago, someone from my Everquest guild died in a car accident. It's an extremely sad story — especially since she was heroically fighting cancer at the time of her passing. A few years before, someone who I had worked with very closely passed away as well. It got me to thinking about how MMOs create a setting that allows real life to inject itself into video games. The first issue, and by far the most minor, is that we no longer have the considerable talents of the player at our disposal anymore. But more importantly, we've lost someone we feel close to, even though it is unlikely that our paths would have ever crossed outside of the game. How many times have you had someone on your friends list never show back up, and you just assumed they'd quit the game?
It really makes you think about how many people can use video games as an escape from a life that may be less than ideal. I know quite a few people who can't get out of the house due to illness and have become entranced by the social contact that MMOs offer. A lot of people focus on the addictive gameplay (and the sometimes negative effects that has on players), but I think that we have some positive things to take from these types of games as well.
So this blog is for Leaha and Dibanya. I hope you know how you've touched our lives in a positive way. To those of you reading this, I'd like to invite you to add me on PSN: My name is MikeEQ. Who knows? Maybe we'll become lifelong friends.
Do you have any stories about how a connection made through a video game meant something special to you? If so, please share.