MMOs to Replace Singles Bars?!?
In my job, it’s normal to hear reports and stories about players trying to pick-up other players inside the game. It’s natural - boy meets girl in-game and then wants to see each other iRL (in Real Life). But here in the Philippines, there is the risk of running into the dreaded “chicksilog” (a girl avatar being played by a boy), who are inside the game more often to scam and steal.
But risks or not, this still keeps on happening. In fact, if we skip to the good side of the fence, I am witness to a lot of marriages and relationships which wouldn’t have happened if it were not for the game. Case in point is a wedding founded on RF Online which I wrote about a couple of weeks ago.
In any case, I think that online games and MMORPGs are just one of the many means to find true love. Eversince the Internet gods gave us chat and friendster, the opposite sex is on the lookout for an avenue to replace the singles bar.
In fact, there is a study conducted by the researchers at Nottingham Trent University, and being published in the US journal CyberPsychology and Behavior — confirms what many of us already suspected: MMO gamers aren’t as antisocial as people make them out to be.
Research has proven the 3/4 of players have indeed developed good friendships with their virtual friends inside the game. Moreso, 50% of MMO players have met someone in the game in real life.
Of these, 1 in 10 have carried on a “lasting physical relationship” with those that they met. Now, I am not one to come to conclusions, but this can mean anything from deep friendship to love, right? Meanwhile, and this may be a bit of good news, “female players are significantly more likely to be attracted to another player, and were far more likely to go on to date them.”
But don’t fall into traps easily. In Brazil, a bunch of whackos used a player’s girlfriend to abduct him so that they can get his password.
Just be careful. And may you find love, friends and happiness in gaming.
Ciao,
GM T
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am September 3 2007 @ 11:31 am
The first thing a gamer can do if he feels like falling for someone online is attend Gaming Event organized by game publisher. Meet there! No 1 on 1 meetup please. That should be done later on.
am September 3 2007 @ 12:06 pm
actually i know of a couple (congratulations on their new baby) who met online because of Gunbound! but always watch out for scams, i’ve heard a more of them than people hooking up using online games.
am September 14 2007 @ 11:18 am
We have had personal experience with this, haven’t we, GM T? Noel, whom we met in RO is now TJ and Mouse’s business partner and our dear friend. Then there’s Nix whom I met after almost ten years when I went to visit her in the UK. Not to mention Jon, Mayan, Gian and our other good friends.
If any of you are reading this, this one’s for you!
Dave said
am February 8 2008 @ 11:09 am
GM
Couldn’t agree more. I set up a site to help people meet other MMO game players - but with a broader audience I hope. I could be used to find any number of relationships - from a guild to a friend to a significant other. Its all centered around MMORPGs - so single, married, old or young can hopefully find some real life friends: a social network site for virtual people.
Romance in Online Games | gmtristan.com said
am February 14 2008 @ 9:31 am
[…] piece about love, relationships and online games. It’s a fact that some couples have actually met online through a game, got engaged and got married. A good example would be the post about a marriage […]