A few weeks ago I came across an article that was all shocked and excited that actual real life families separated by hundreds or thousands of miles might regularly reunite on MMORPGs and do virtual things together. Meanwhile sharing gossip and new about real life. I can’t figure out why this is either news or shocking.

Whenever you are separated from someone you care about by disatance or something similiar the main barrier to forming strong relationships is a lack of shared experience. MMORPGs (or online games in general) provide a place where shared experience can be built without distance being a factor. Its not the same shared experience one my garner by sharing meals, but it is a way to maintain a real relationship with someone who is not near you.

As gamers age and move around this will not be considered odd. I have a group of friends who’s main shared experience is through the medium of computer games and twice annual computer game gatherings. It is the only group of friends I know that has stayed together even though they are spread from Texas to upstate New York.