| recent article on CNET, William Moss observes | | | | Why do people play online games?a. Firstly, the |
| that in an Internet cafe in China, of the couple of | | | | appeal of anonymity. After all you can create a |
| hundred people using the cafe when he visited it, | | | | personality for yourself and can be what ever |
| with the exception of two people, everyone else | | | | you want to be. This is a very powerful reason |
| was seen using them to play computer games. | | | | for people to hang out at these social sites.b. |
| People paying money just to play online games on | | | | Internet is a wonderful medium that enables you |
| hourly basis show the pull and popularity of the | | | | to be part of a society where all are equal. |
| online games. | | | | Absolutely no discrimination of any variety.c. The |
| Here is an attempt to understand why online | | | | games are becoming increasingly easy to setup. |
| games are so popular these days? | | | | Most of the times you just don't need a native |
| An online game literally refers to the type of | | | | installation on your PC. A web browser is all you |
| game, which is played on your computer while | | | | need to play a multiplayer game. This has taken |
| you are connected to the Internet. These can be | | | | away the operating system related hurdles that |
| single player games that you play with a remote | | | | one would otherwise have encountered. These |
| server or multiplayer games where many users | | | | games are mostly free and on top of that you |
| like you are playing with each other. | | | | don't have to install anything to enable you to play |
| There was a time when computer games were | | | | these games. You just heard of game, perhaps |
| for the so-called nerds or geeks who were | | | | from a friend or through an email or a newsletter. |
| basically solitary beings. With the rise in popularity | | | | You just go to the gaming website and you are |
| of the Internet and with broadband access | | | | ready to play. No setup related hassles at all. This |
| becoming increasingly affordable, the quality of | | | | definitely is a very big contributor to the success |
| free online games being offered has increased | | | | and popularity of online games.d. Online games are |
| dramatically. Playing games online is no longer a | | | | popular because they give people who are bored |
| solitary activity. Studies show that it is a social | | | | playing with their computer a chance to interact |
| experience that more and more extroverts and | | | | with real opponents. As a player you can chat |
| out-going people are becoming part of. | | | | with other players, you can join hands a few |
| Free gaming sites have become the places for | | | | players and scheme against the others, just the |
| players to meet and have social interactions. | | | | way you do in real world, but with the advantage |
| Popular regulars at gaming sites are a common | | | | of anonymity. |
| phenomenon that we all are aware of. These | | | | I am sure there are more reasons. This in itself |
| gaming sites typically offer games that range | | | | can be a topic of research for social scientists. |
| from a quick, casual game during your coffee | | | | Internet is changing the way we live. It is changing |
| break to engaging multi-player games. | | | | the way we play for sure. |