Comments on: Over one in five Japanese play online, MMORPGs most popular http://whatjapanthinks.com/2008/03/19/over-one-in-five-japanese-play-online-mmorpgs-most-popular/ From kimono to keitai; research Japanese facts and figures through translated opinion polls and surveys. Thu, 10 Apr 2014 22:29:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.2 By: Jesse http://whatjapanthinks.com/2008/03/19/over-one-in-five-japanese-play-online-mmorpgs-most-popular/comment-page-1/#comment-154180 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:29:29 +0000 http://whatjapanthinks.com/2008/03/19/over-one-in-five-japanese-play-online-mmorpgs-most-popular/#comment-154180 If you’ve played MMOs or even MUDs in the past, you’re not missing much (with the exception of Tabula Rasa, R.I.P.) except improved graphics; they’re still pretty much glorified chatrooms with eye-candy, a little bit of fan service, and something for the hands to do in between typing messages. And this is the experience of an avid MMO gamer of some 8 years (you’ll note, too, from my email address if it’s visible, that I have an account for Hello Kitty Online, though I haven’t gotten around to downloading it yet, now that it’s in open beta).

In essence, they’re a social phenomenon, rather than, or at least more than, a gaming one. They’re an environment in which people of all ages, from all walks of life, from all cultures, can interact on a level basis, without pretense or societal pressures. Of course, I’m shy so I mostly solo.

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