Post by Morreion on Sept 17, 2014 19:45:04 GMT -5
The Soapbox: Maybe it's time to admit that you don't like MMOs (Massively)
I've learned a lot from my time at Massively. I've learned that a team of writers can work together without being in the same office; I've learned that the MMO genre is one of the most interesting in all of video games, despite the negative stigma sometimes attached; and I've learned that people love to read and comment about MMOs even when they don't play them.
This last point has always fascinated me the most. I have several hobbies and interests, and I don't read forums or websites about every one of them. But one thing I certainly don't do is spend time reading about topics that hold no interest for me.
I imagine that most non-MMO-playing gamers who read this site do so because they once loved an MMO and are looking for a replacement experience, or they're intrigued by the thought of living in a virtual world with hundreds or thousands of other real people but just haven't found the one that's best for them.
I'll certainly admit that MMOs lend themselves to that type of situation more than most other games because the time investment can be enormous. Playing an MMO is much more than just jumping into a simple single-player or co-op game for a bit of action before dinner. You live and breathe the virtual worlds that surround an MMO. For that reason, it's especially hurtful when an MMO closes down or doesn't turn out to fit the hype that got you interested in the first place.
I understand that, and I can relate to that. But see, here's the thing: If you hate the idea of an MMO, can't stand the people who play MMOs, and spend most of your free time putting down every new MMO on the market, you might actually not like MMOs.
And hey, that's OK...
Heh. I liked this essay. Every once in a while I think I don't like MMOs anymore and just sit about carping about bad ones now. It does seem to be a silly thing to do...but I keep telling myself that there's a virtual world coming out soon that I will love, like the games I played a dozen years ago. And I sort of like some MMOs I play for a while. Maybe Jaded MMORPG Syndrome and nostalgia has affected my judgement. We will see.
I've learned a lot from my time at Massively. I've learned that a team of writers can work together without being in the same office; I've learned that the MMO genre is one of the most interesting in all of video games, despite the negative stigma sometimes attached; and I've learned that people love to read and comment about MMOs even when they don't play them.
This last point has always fascinated me the most. I have several hobbies and interests, and I don't read forums or websites about every one of them. But one thing I certainly don't do is spend time reading about topics that hold no interest for me.
I imagine that most non-MMO-playing gamers who read this site do so because they once loved an MMO and are looking for a replacement experience, or they're intrigued by the thought of living in a virtual world with hundreds or thousands of other real people but just haven't found the one that's best for them.
I'll certainly admit that MMOs lend themselves to that type of situation more than most other games because the time investment can be enormous. Playing an MMO is much more than just jumping into a simple single-player or co-op game for a bit of action before dinner. You live and breathe the virtual worlds that surround an MMO. For that reason, it's especially hurtful when an MMO closes down or doesn't turn out to fit the hype that got you interested in the first place.
I understand that, and I can relate to that. But see, here's the thing: If you hate the idea of an MMO, can't stand the people who play MMOs, and spend most of your free time putting down every new MMO on the market, you might actually not like MMOs.
And hey, that's OK...
Heh. I liked this essay. Every once in a while I think I don't like MMOs anymore and just sit about carping about bad ones now. It does seem to be a silly thing to do...but I keep telling myself that there's a virtual world coming out soon that I will love, like the games I played a dozen years ago. And I sort of like some MMOs I play for a while. Maybe Jaded MMORPG Syndrome and nostalgia has affected my judgement. We will see.
