Video gaming has become a cultural phenomenon that has slowly become a plague upon modern society. Over time, many have questioned why people feel the need to play online games. When online gaming became popular in the 2000s, it wasn’t quite clear how things would pan out for the online community.
However, slowly over time, it has turned into quite a serious issue. That is not to say that it needs to be fixed and that online gaming should be eradicated from the Internet. It is a growing issue. Online gaming has become an addiction for many people. Their addiction stems from many factors, all of which need to be considered in their contexts to understand the true nature of their addictions properly.
So, why do people play online games?
To truly understand how online multiplayer games can be so addictive, there are many things to consider. The main thing that needs to be understood to answer this question is the appeal of online multiplayer games. What draws players in? What makes them keep playing?
Social Interaction
Online multiplayer games are different from single-player games in one very important aspect: teamwork. Players are introduced to an online server, or ‘room’ or ‘lobby,’ as they are commonly referred to in certain games.
Here, players can communicate and interact with various players online. Many players enjoy this element of gameplay. This allows them to talk to people with common interests and work together to achieve the same or similar goals.
Something that draws many people toward online games is the aspect of having no obligation to interact with anyone. Online communities can sometimes be very welcoming places. They draw people in from all over and ask them to collaborate on a team mission or otherwise.
The most popular version of these events occurs in Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOs), of which there are many. Most MMOs contain elements of single-player games that many players will be familiar with.
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So, why do people play these online games? It could be because, within these online games, players can form new friendships, establish new relationships, and develop their team-building skills—all through video games.
Often, people find themselves enjoying time with their online friends, who may live several miles away, more than with their real-life friends. The fact that these people are online can sometimes take away the pressure of a real-world relationship. Both people in this online relationship can get to know one another through their common interest: video games.
Endless Content
Due to the high popularity of online multiplayer games, specifically MMORPGs, developers are often tasked with growing their original content. Often, games are expanded upon to give their players more aspects of gameplay to enjoy. In a way, these updates can encourage large numbers of players to return to a game they may have otherwise forgotten or entice current players to invest more time into the game.
Having a game that constantly updates and adds new content can feel like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Players will never feel like they have an empty plate. By giving players fresh, new content, there is less apathy when it comes to the game. It can often encourage players to hop onto the server and play for several hours with their friends.
Sometimes, these new updates will encourage online friends to get together and explore the new content together, opening up discussions about what works and what doesn’t within this new update. These updates also allow other members of the gaming community to hop on forums or engage with the developers. Players feel as though they have a say in what the next update should include. Therefore, these interactions with developers can enhance their gaming experiences.
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Team Dependency
Linking back to the social interaction aspect of online gaming, players also develop this idea of team dependency. It is a very refreshing experience when playing an online multiplayer game and coming across a particularly difficult boss.
You, as the player, may not be a high enough level or have the right kind of gear to handle this on your own. That’s where your team comes in. Having a team to depend on can be a lifesaver in particularly difficult scenarios. Thus, it allows for a more relaxing experience as you all battle against this boss together, as a team.
Not every player needs to be on a team to feel this kind of dependency. Sometimes, this feeling of dependency can come from previous experiences in server-wide events that bring various players together for one singular quest.
Battling together, as a team, can feel elating and exciting. Everyone is fighting for the same goal. You are all helping each other as you strive to complete the task at hand. Some people are worse than others. Some people are better. But no one is completely useless, as you all have a role to play
This feeling of collective kindness as you all battle together in online events can only be felt in online multiplayer matches, and it can be one of the most addictive feelings. Humans are naturally social creatures, so having an experience where everyone helps each other out is one of the most enjoyable aspects of these types of games, which is possibly what makes them so addictive.
Unpredictability
What is truly incredible about online gaming is that every session is a complete roll of the dice. Every session in an online game can be completely different and unique from the last.
Online multiplayer games, such as Call of Duty or Fortnite, provide the most unpredictability because of their match-based system. This means that players will be paired with random people from across the world. Therefore, these people may interact with others in a different way than in the previous ‘lobby.
However, I suppose the truly unpredictable thing about online multiplayer games, compared to single-player games, is the consuming nature of it all. Games cannot be paused and set down for long periods. Thus, players see more of and interact with more of the game than with a single-player game.
With constant changes and different players to meet, there is no telling what every new play session will entail. Players will know what their character looks like or what kind of loadout they prefer. But what they might come up against during their session is entirely unpredictable.
Monetization and Incentives
There are a rare number of games out there that offer players monetary incentives to play their games. This can often be reason enough to answer why people like to play online games. After all, everyone likes to be paid for doing something they enjoy.
Games will often value players’ time, either by giving them special gifts or coins for a certain amount of playtime, or even by paying them to play. This is only prevalent in online multiplayer games.
Now, there are apps out there that pay people to play certain games, but often the goals they set are unachievable. So, online multiplayer games give players a monetary incentive to actually play their games. They want players to get into online matches, play against others, and improve their skills within the game.
However, sometimes the biggest incentives to play these online games are relatively simple and can overlap with single-player experiences. Yet, in online multiplayer games, these incentives are almost doubled in satisfaction when they are achieved. Players are given achievements or rewards when they advance through the game, either by leveling up through the game’s leveling system or by acquiring status or power if the game mechanics call for it.
One major incentive for online multiplayer games is this idea of competition—competing against other players for the title of best gamer. Players always have this instinct to dominate others in the game, to prove that they are the best because when they are playing single-player games, they have no one else to compare to.
Unlike multiplayer games, single-player games only allow for personal improvement through comparison with your own scores. However, when in an online match with other players, you can compare yourself to other players and feel a sense of overwhelming achievement when you can keep up with the much better players on the server
Conclusion:
Gaming addiction is a serious issue that is growing every day and beginning to affect the younger generation as they grow up in an age that is surrounded by and obsessed with technology. There seems to be no escape from the medium, allowing people to become addicted to the platform and encouraging a more online world.
However, there are positive aspects to the online multiplayer games that are circling the internet, as well as the more harmful aspects. The main point discussed in this article was asking why people play these online multiplayer games and why they are so much more addictive than single-player games.
I suppose the answer is subjective, but it all boils down to this idea of player satisfaction. What kind of aspect of the online game provides this satisfaction is subjective, but context is always key when discussing this problem, and not every gamer is the same as the last. They are a unique group of people, all obsessed with the same thing; none of them are the same.
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