I Want to Play Massive Multiplayer Games All By Myself

mmo

Every item on every list Buzzfeed has ever made about introverts applies to me. I love it when I have no plans for the entire weekend. An awesome Friday night usually involves me alone with a stack of video games. Being around strange new people makes me want to hide under my covers. And yet, for some strange reason, I love MMORPGs.

You might not find that terribly weird. After all, MMOs are played online, far away from the pressures of the real world. The thing is, my introversion extends to the internet as well. I’m on Facebook nearly every day, but I often go months without posting a status. I keep myself set to invisible on every chat program, and I panic when I accidentally change the settings. I need my space, even on the internet.

The social anxiety extends to MMOs, where I will go to great lengths to avoid partying with strangers. I’m happy to occasionally help out a random person, and I have fun tackling quests with friends, but I get queasy at the thought of Vent servers or sending a message to a complete stranger. Why do I keep coming back to MMORPGs if so much about them fills me with dread?

mmo character creator

I like the gameplay, but I could get that from Final Fantasy 12 or an Elder Scrolls game without ever interacting with another person. Ultimately, I think I like the online aspects as much as I dislike them. I may not be a fan of chats with strangers, but I like the feeling of being constantly surrounded by people. I enjoy seeing what people are crafting, or watching someone cheer as I take down a monster. I’m not crazy about conversation with randoms, but I like interaction in milder forms.

Playing an MMORPG by yourself is the equivalent of going to a party and getting to play video games alone without anyone saying a word about it. You can see people all around you having fun, and you can stop what you’re doing and hang out with them if you so desire. But you know you can also spend your whole night wasting time on something silly, or that you can abruptly stop playing if you decide you’d rather watch Adventure Time. Playing an MMORPG alone gives you the perks of socialization with none of the drawbacks, and it’s pretty exhilarating.

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