Why Do You Play MMORPGs?
I’ve never questioned why I play MMORPGs before. I always just played them because I “enjoyed” them without analysing it or wondering why. I starting playing my first MMORPG 10 years ago and since then I’ve played one almost every day of my life. Some I played for years and some for weeks but I always just played the way I played and never thought much about who I am or why I do it. Until now.
I started this blog six months ago and it’s been an amazing experience for me, educating me in ways I wouldn’t have thought possible, mainly through the communication and interaction I’m having with other MMO bloggers. I’m learning new things all the time about the gaming genre I love so much and also understanding more about my fellow players. One of the things I’m starting to understand more deeply is motivation.
As much as I hate these sorts of abstract terms, I guess I’m what many would consider a “social” player. I’m not driven by the need to be the ‘best’ or to conquer the game or to achieve a certain target. I just play because I enjoy playing and I enjoy playing because of the fun I have with other people – real life friends, guildies or random strangers. For me, it’s the social interactions that define the experience.
However, I’m starting to understand more about other people’s drive in MMORPGs. I always thought it was a pretty black and white thing but now I’m learning it’s actually a whole lot more complex than that. Some people are driven by pure socialising, some by exploration and wonderment, some by achievement, some by competition and some by the challenge of overcoming the odds. There’s an infinite amount of motivation out there, all backed by equally strong and worthy arguments.
Having playing MMORPGs every day for 10 years may make me knowledgeable about them but I’m learning that it doesn’t make me qualified about them. I can’t actually make any qualified statements about the ‘right’ way to play or the ‘wrong’ way to play or how a MMO should be conducted in order to make it ‘right’. That’s the wonderful thing about the genre – they are online worlds full of thousands and millions of players, each with their own unique drive and passion. All I can do is voice my opinion about the genre and try to make sure my motivation doesn’t cloud my judgement too much.
I want to learn more about MMORPGs and more about the people who play them. I love growing and learning and developing and seeing new views and perspectives on things. So please, educate me. Why do you play MMORPGs?