A while ago, I received a unique and interesting graphic called “Gamers Get Girls” that can be accessed at (http://www.onlineuniversity.net/gamers-get-girls/); also shown below. The graphic is designed in an elegant retro-bit-style fashion, and easily conveys a proposal of how online gaming connects people romantically and is more efficacious than dating sites such as Match.com or eHarmony. It has been no question that over its lifespan and inception, video games have been able to connect individuals beyond the barriers of race, ethnicity, language, and gender. I can recall when I was the proud owner of an SNES system that elementary school “play dates” with my friends would consist of video games and snacks…for five-plus hours. It may sound monotonous, but I remember the usual feelings of disappointment and inadequacy when those five hours seemed to “fly” by and my friends left; for some games, you just had to play with other people. Another story that I remember is of one of my friends (who is older) and brought his Atari system overseas to a different country. At the time, he quickly became a popular foreign student because kids would constantly go over to his house to watch him play Atari. So to extrapolate further from this info-graphic, I would propose that gamers not only “get girls” but they also gain friends with similar interests, and that there is also potential to strengthen relationships through gaming.
In this day and age, it seems that MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) have found a secure niche in the world of gaming. The most popular MMORPG that most people recognize is World of Warcraft by Blizzard amongst many other game titles (I’ll be honest, my only experience with MMORPGs have been with the Maple Story game because it’s free to play). Furthermore, the world of MMORPGs has quickly turned into a lucrative, billion-dollar industry involving millions of gamers who enjoy this video game genre. There must be a reason why millions of people are willing to pay monthly fees to play World of Warcraft, and this due to possible reasons including stress relief, enjoyment and interest, escapism, and for relationships – both mutual and romantic. According to Frostling-Henningsson et al. , teamwork and cooperation are crucial for online gamers. The results of teamwork would lead to mutual cooperation in order to gain a higher level of skill, and likewise, a mutual sharing of rewards. In essence, these relationships are “battle-tested” and it is no wonder that through countless hours of cooperative gaming and striving for fantastical goals that some individuals feel more connected to their friends through the virtual world than in real life. Through the sharing of online experiences and the personalization of online avatars, it would make sense that romantic relationships would be just as easy to form, which is what I believe this info-graphic is trying to express.
According to the “Gamers Get Girls” graphic, the population size of just WoW (World of Warcraft) is 12-to-1 compared to online dating sites, the gamers are younger in age, and they invest 24.7 times more hours per month than people who participate in online dating sites. Additionally, the graphic conveys that online gaming offers a hint of mystery (uncertainty), increased disinhibition, increased dopamine release, and decision-making speed. All of these mentioned statistics and factors culminate into a probability of increased responses and likelihood for a successful romantic relationship. In essence, you could say that WoW really brings the “wow” factor into relationships (I apologize; I really wanted to use that cheesy catch phrase). However, just as with everything, there is a fine line between what is to be appropriate online gaming and what is considered to be detrimental, excessive online gaming. According to Pawlikowski et al., the paper suggests that individuals who are excessive online gamers actually have poor decision-making skills when compared to individuals who do not play excessively. I also heard a story a few months ago of a person who had passed away in the act of gaming at a cyber café in an East Asia country. In essence, moderation is crucial and it is important to self-realize that gaming should not dictate your life.
I really enjoyed what this info-graphic had to offer. It came off to me as a comical and eye-catching design that conveyed some very relevant and applicable information concerning MMORPGs and its relationship to online dating. It is significant to note that for some people, their participation in MMORPGs is a significant part of their life – I have personally seen friends be somewhat “controlled” by WoW. I believe that MMORPGs, when used appropriately, can open opportunities for relationship building and other benefits, but common to most things, there is a fine line to what may be considered detrimental. As a guy, there is no other feeling like sharing a great interest or passion with a fellow lady-friend. Certainly the saying goes that “opposites attract,” but whether it be gaming, music, food, or any other activities, commonalities and shared passions can certainly reach common ground and a sure foundation.
-J.W.
References:
Frostling-Henningsson, M. (2009). First-person shooter games as a way of connecting to people: “brothers in blood”. Cyberpsychology & behavior, 12(5), 557-62.doi:10.1089/cpb.2008.0345
Pawlikowski, M. (2011). Excessive Internet gaming and decision making: do excessive World of Warcraft players have problems in decision making under risky conditions?. Psychiatry research, 188(3), 428-33.doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2011.05.017
Created by: OnlineUniversity.net