Potential Benefits: Multigenerational Play

MMOGs provide a situation where people of various ages can work together to achieve a particular goal. Because of the wide range of ages of players, people of different ages can and do play together in ways they might not in real life.

(source: "Gender and Age Distribution" by Nick Yee)
In a MMOG, players tend to be males about 12 to 28 years old and females 23 to 40 years old (Yee, 2003). Despite the wide age range, these players all have something in common; they are all working together to complete a common set of quests and goals. People of different ages are likely to play differently than one another, and because they are encouraged to work together, this creates an opportunity for people of different ages to better understand one another.

(source for stats below: "Playing with Someone" by Nick Yee)
A unique kind of multigenerational play that does occur is playing with a relative. According to a study done by Nick Yee, 19% of all MMOG players "play with a family member" (excluding "romantic partners"). These people were then asked how they were related to the family member they played. The study found that "the most often listed family members were brothers, followed by [fathers or mothers and] sons" (Yee, 2005).

You can view this study at:
http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/archives/001468.php.

It is interesting when playing with a relative to see how differently one plays in comparison with how they are in the "real world". For example, relatives with less experience in the real world (young people) may have lots of experience in the "virtual world" (playing the game). In this type of a situation, some older relatives may look to younger relatives for guidance in how to play.

To some extent, playing an MMOG can allow people from multiple generations to pursue the same goals, thus making them virtual equals. This is not often the case (especially for teenagers) in real life, where what you can achieve may be based highly upon your family's income, your job, your ability to travel, and your lifestyle.

You may want to consider playing with your teen. Ask your teen to teach you how to play, if she or he already plays. Or learn together. Often a shorter play session lasts between an hour and three hours. If you are clear with your teen about how long you want to play, he or she may be able to help you choose quests to fit that amount of time. If you do plan to play an MMOG (and if you enjoy it), play can go on for weeks or months.


Here are two ways to help your teen regarding multigenerational play:

• Talk to your teen about what goes on in the game world.
  
  While the technical descriptions and detailed information about the game may be difficult to understand, the focus of an MMOG is that players are working in a group with other people to achieve some a shared goal.
   
• Encourage your teen to play with a friend or someone they know in real life who can act as a friend and role model (perhaps an older relative).
  
  Playing together provides an opportunity for a parent or relative to model and talk about moral challenges faced in the context of the game. An adult can help evaluate situations they encounter in the game.
  
  Some players, (fortunately, a small minority) enter MMOGs with the intent of causing trouble and interfering with other people's game.