The Dilemma of Community Gaming

Major companies like Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are no doubt knowledgeable of the success of franchises like The Sims and the anticipation for upcoming titles like LittleBigPlanet. These types of games signal a new movement in video game culture. Personalized user homes and generated content able to be downloaded online show that gamers both like to “belong” to a community, and like their work to go recognized. Running along the same vein, looking at bluetooth headset communication via games like EndWar may trigger full in-game communication amongst gamers. The Big Three have recognized this communal aspect of gaming and are attempting to accomodate accordingly. Whether their efforts will pay off is still up in the air.

With their purchase of the Wii gamers were given the opportunity to create several ”Miis,” little animated avatars that could be used in several first and third-party titles for the console. The Miis can be be submitted to the Check Mii Out Channel where users can have their created Miis rated by others in the online Wii community.

In the Fall, Microsoft will be answering the Wii’s Miis with their own personalized user Avatars. While only three titles have been identified to make use of the avatars. In the future, only titles with an ESRB rating of E10+ will make use of the Avatars.

Finally, Sony seems to be going a more Sim-ish direction. With PLAYSTATION Home, releasing some time in the Winter or Spring, will allow PS3 users to decorate their own homes, import photos/videos onto their Sony Bravia HD video or photo frames (to share/watch with other users who are invited into your “home"), or go shopping for new content in the downtown area. PS3 gamers can commune in a local theater to view Blu-Ray movies or game/film previews, or, as one would expect, play video games. Before you hop into your favorite online game like Call of Duty 4, you can join up with others for a quick game of avatar pool or bowling. While the primary goal of Home is to promote online play, it seems Sony is investing a lot into this PlayStation Network release, as it’s been delayed several times already and is still in a closed beta.

All these community play endeavors beg the question, is this truly the way online community play is going? When we play video games, aren’t we trying to detach ourselves from others and reality, or is it that we wish to become more interconnected with one another? I guess the Big Three and the success of their respective software releases will help answer that question. And you never know, some may feel the way Dwight from The Office did when he became playing Second Life: “I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then, my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. Absolutely everything was the same...except I could fly.” Maybe Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft are targeting the Dwight Shrute in every one of us, the part of us that longs for a second life. Who knows.

Posted by on 08/11 at 06:04 PM