Study shows MMORPG gamers to be 'extremely' social, friendly

Researchers challenge pervious assumptions that online games hinder social development

August 15, 2007

A recent study is debunking the typical stereotype of the basement-dwelling MMORPG player. According to psychology researchers at Nottingham Trend University, online gamers hold active social lives both in the natural world, and in the virtual environments they frequent.

The study, which was published in the bi-monthly CyberPsychology and Behavior journal, examined nearly 1,000 MMO players worldwide, playing a variety of games.

The study investigated the habits of these gamers, who they were playing with and how they functioned socially within the games. On average, the gamers played an average of 22.8 hours per week.

The study shows that 81% of MMORPG players play with real-life friends and family online. But in addition to real-life contacts, players also formed strong friendships with people they met in-game.

About 75% of the gamers in the study were found to make good friends with other online players. Nearly half felt very comfortable speaking about personal, real-life issues with their online friends.

Another 30% of those studied became romantically attracted to another player.

These relationships were also found to reach beyond the confines of the MMORPG itself. Nearly 50% of the players had met other players in real-life, and about 10% developed romantic relationships in person.

Mark Griffiths, a professor at the university, commented that "previous research has suggested that gamers are socially inactive, but MMORPGs are actually extremely social games, with high percentages of gamers making life-long friends and even partners … MMORPGs are by no means an asocial activity, nor are the players socially introverted."

Technology has enabled a closer connection between players. Many games feature voice chat, and players often use third-party tools to communicate verbally when they don't.

But as Griffiths explains, the unique aspects of an online game also encourage MMORPG players to be more social than they might normally be. "[Players can] express themselves in ways they may not feel comfortable doing in real life because of their appearance, gender, sexuality, age, or other factors. They also offer a place where teamwork, encouragement and fun can all be experienced."

Massively-multiplayer online games, which allow gamers to play with hundreds or thousands of others in a persistent online world, have surged in popularity over the past five years. World of Warcraft is currently the leading MMORPG, with over 9 million subscribers worldwide.