Introduction:

Electronic games have transformed dramatically since the early days of "Pong," "Space Invaders," and "Pac Man." Computer processing power, advances in computer graphics, network connectivity and innovations in content and style all contribute to next generation games.

For parents who did not grow up playing today's games, they can be quite mysterious. Understanding a complex game often requires hours or even tens of hours to play.

This Web site is created for parents who want to understand more about Massively Multiplayer Online Games — What they are, potential benefits to your teen from playing, and potential parental concerns.

Modern MMOGs include games such as World of Warcraft (WoW), The Matrix online, Final Fantasy XI Online and many others. The main example used in this resource is World of Warcraft, because it was the largest and most popular MMOG when this site was planned. While there are differences between MMOGs, this site focuses on the themes that are common to any MMOG.

If You Have a Particular Interest or Concern:

MMOGs are not all good nor are they all bad for teen players. The sections on potential benefits and potential concerns offer perspectives. Exploring the sections on potential benefits and concerns is a good place to start. Useful Resources for Parents links to other sites that address issues of parenting, games, and media.

About the Word "Player"

The word "player" is used often on this site to mean a person who is actively playing as a character in a Massive Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG).