Both can be addicting, but I think games can be a bit more addicting.
taulpaul
· 1 year ago
I gave a presentation at Social Media Breakfast Minneapolis #smbmsp about this topic a month back. We started using online gaming to forecast social media initiatives. There are many parallels, but they usually come from the online gaming community first.
Markdykeman
· 1 year ago
Hey taulpaul, that's an interesting coincidence. I think a number of conventions from online games have worked their way into social media.
LeonWestbrook
· 1 year ago
I have to say a social media addiction is far cheaper than WoW. You can participate for free vs. paying $10 a month (unless you pay a lot in hosting)
Anon
· 1 year ago
You must be REALLY broke to say that $10 vs $0 is far cheaper.
LeonWestbrook
· 1 year ago
Well if you think about it that $10 could go to my gas tank.
Pamela Rosenthal
· 1 year ago
Mark, I'm glad I caught your post! I've been thinking about this issue for sometime and posted a similar question on Twitter a few months ago. http://tinyurl.com/5t5h42.
I agree with your assessment that both MMORPGs and social networks can be used to “satisfy creative, recreational, and social needs.†I’m not a gamer but I have tried out a few including WOW, Entropia and Second Life – each one has its strengths and weaknesses, and I can see how they can be entertaining for a period of time. However, when I tried out WOW, I felt as though I was being manipulated – that the game was designed for the specific purpose of keeping me playing, (which I’m sure it was). I’m not sure you could say that about social networks. I haven’t heard too many stories about people who’ve been Twittering non-stop for days on end without leaving their homes, whereas there are plenty of examples of people messing up their lives as a consequence of playing online games. That’s not to say that general social networks aren’t addictive – they can be. I'm guessing that some people in the social media community believe that their “business†addiction is more acceptable because it’s part of the “real†world vs. the “fantasy†worlds of the gamers. I think they might want to reconsider that before they make their 10,000th post on Twitter or status update on Facebook, especially if they are doing that while playing with their kids or in the middle of dinner!
Now, if you will excuse me, I need to update on Twitter to let everyone know that I have just posted here. :-)
Markdykeman
· 1 year ago
Hi Pamela. You have a good point about the potentially addictive nature of both games and social media. While it's true that people may not be sitting there and Twittering away non-stop, they may be doing an awful lot of reading and/or waiting for someone to respond to their Tweets. That can be an addictive time sink as well and it can led people to ignore their priorities, much like gaming does.
As for the manipulative nature of MMORPGs (i.e. activity to keep you playing and waiting for the next big "score", not unlike the way that slot machines work...
Gloria
· 1 year ago
Nice article! I definitely agree. Ever since early (1990's) games like Everquest and Neverwinter Nights, countless websites and forums were devoted to enabling players to connect and form communities. The medium just lends itself so well to the social media mindset. Game companies caught on early as well, which is why you can see such deep interactions between game developers and gamers now. In fact, feedback and communication with the gamer community is essential to the development of any MMO game now.
I might suggest that MMOs, because of their highly addicting, tight-knit culture and communities, went a long way towards developing the social media mindset that later expanded rapidly due to Myspace, Facebook, and similar sites.
Markdykeman
· 1 year ago
I agree, Gloria.
NEVERDIE
· 1 year ago
Very good article.
Markdykeman
· 1 year ago
If you are who you appear to be, I visited your spot in EU a couple of times. Crazy.
ZGambit
· 1 year ago
Gamers and Social Media users tend to have the same habits..... why maybe because they are a)both advocates of technology b)they are the same people.
Carmen Villadar
· 1 year ago
I can see how MMORPG can be classified as games however, social media platforms as games (could be) but if you were to say *they are* then what is that, "We are all just playing games with one another without having any real genuine thought? Okay, I have not read any of the other comments only because I wanted to comment without being swayed.
icywolfy
· 1 year ago
Hi Folks,
Just like to share with you. I've successfully combined element on MMOG with blogging using the Gamic concept. Gamic is a term used for in game screenshot comics. Where players blog about their experience ingame using gamic.
All Comments
I agree with your assessment that both MMORPGs and social networks can be used to “satisfy creative, recreational, and social needs.†I’m not a gamer but I have tried out a few including WOW, Entropia and Second Life – each one has its strengths and weaknesses, and I can see how they can be entertaining for a period of time. However, when I tried out WOW, I felt as though I was being manipulated – that the game was designed for the specific purpose of keeping me playing, (which I’m sure it was). I’m not sure you could say that about social networks. I haven’t heard too many stories about people who’ve been Twittering non-stop for days on end without leaving their homes, whereas there are plenty of examples of people messing up their lives as a consequence of playing online games. That’s not to say that general social networks aren’t addictive – they can be. I'm guessing that some people in the social media community believe that their “business†addiction is more acceptable because it’s part of the “real†world vs. the “fantasy†worlds of the gamers. I think they might want to reconsider that before they make their 10,000th post on Twitter or status update on Facebook, especially if they are doing that while playing with their kids or in the middle of dinner!
Now, if you will excuse me, I need to update on Twitter to let everyone know that I have just posted here. :-)
As for the manipulative nature of MMORPGs (i.e. activity to keep you playing and waiting for the next big "score", not unlike the way that slot machines work...
I might suggest that MMOs, because of their highly addicting, tight-knit culture and communities, went a long way towards developing the social media mindset that later expanded rapidly due to Myspace, Facebook, and similar sites.
Just like to share with you. I've successfully combined element on MMOG with blogging using the Gamic concept. Gamic is a term used for in game screenshot comics. Where players blog about their experience ingame using gamic.
A fine example here.
http://trickster.isgoodstuff.com/about