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Taking a Role in a Virtual World
By Michael Grisdale
Oxford County Library
For The Oxford Review
May 22, 2001
Massive Multi-player Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) are quickly becoming the future of gaming. With big three companies, Origin, Verant, and Turbine, controlling the market, we are certain to see new leaps in technology as they compete to produce the most appealing and enduring game.
Currently, Ultima Online, Everquest and Asheron’s Call control the majority of the consumer market. These three games make up a base of around 1 million subscribers and at a cost of $10 a month, bring in over $100 million a year to the online gaming industry.
Each of these games has a huge community. Many fan sites are available with information on all aspects of the game. These sites offer information on how to build a character, where to find the best items in the game, how to beat the tough creatures that inhabit the lands, and provide resources on countless other topics.
Because each game has its own community, a sense of camaraderie forms between the players and many people seem to become addicted to the game. The social elements keep people interested after the initial thrill fades. Without the social structure of these games, people would get bored easily and the gaming industry would decline.
New content is added to the game every few weeks to keep the game fresh and exciting. This combination of new content and camaraderie is what allows these games to survive and thrive in a very competitive industry.
For more information on these games, visit these sites:
Ultima Online
www.ultimaonline.com
Everquest
www.everquest.com
www.everlore.com
www.eqvault.com
Asheron’s Call
www.asheronscall.com
www.asheronslore.com
www.acvault.com
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