Its interesting to look at life from a variety of perspectives. For example, Andrew Hinton makes an interesting point in his article “We Live Here: Games, Third Places and the Information Architecture of the Future”, he suggests that we live in three places, the first place being our homes, the second place being work and the third place being online. Many people have another home online through chat-rooms, instant messenger, blogging, online gaming, online dating and fanstay sports league. “Our daily contact with simultaneously shared digital environments is only increasing and deepening with time” (Harding, 2006). The web is no longer for looking up information or checking your email, research has found that online gaming is becoming very popular. “Among adults, 75% of heads of households play some kind of computer game or video game and sales of these games reached $7 billion in 2005″ (Harding, 2006).
Online gaming and video games has become a significant part of our culture whether we think its a good thing or a bad thing. The future looks very bright for the industry especially because more and more people are spending more time on the web and as long as there is Play Station 1,2,3 and Xbox the industry will survive. Online gaming has become popular not just because of the actions games like “Half Life”, Unreal 2003, and Metal of Honor but also for the Massively Multiplayer Online Gams (MMOGs) such as Second Life.
Second Life is an interesting world online where the possibilities are endless. Each time I log on and play I discover something new. What I find so appealing about the game is the fact that you are in control of creating this second life for yourself. The members of this game “are responsible for creating almost everything….and through activities in the game they can earn currency for clothing, gadgets, and points used for building items themselves” (Hinton, 2006). Online Gaming is here to stay. It has a promising future. Some say that “computer games are merely a fad, a temporary infatuation that will quickly pass when their novelty value is exhausted” (www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Chapter7.html). I think it provides people with the opportunity of escape from the real world but still have real world experiences. A great example of this the online game called Stagecoach island where “vistitors can learn about mutal funds and mortgages from live personnel…” (Hinton,2006). Online gaming could be a great teaching tool in the future and as technology gets better so will the online gaming world.
