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I disagree, or at least would point to it being anecdotal. All the online game addicts I know that are still introverted, are less social then they've ever been

I disagree, or at least would point to it being anecdotal. All the online game addicts I know that are still introverted, are less social then they've ever been regardless of whether they still play games. If anything they've become more so, either in games or with some other thing. These people don't have any problem with how much they spend gaming. However my online gaming addict friends, including myself, do have a problem with it, and deliberately choose not to on the basis that it encourages social isolation and destructive tendencies.

GuB-42 5y ago
There are different kind of online game players. There is an old write-up[1] about MUDs, the ancestors of modern MMORPGs. Players are categorized into 4 archetypes: hearts, clubs, diamonds, and spades, also called socializers, killers, achievers and explorers respectively. Socializers and killers are the extroverts. They play the game for the multiplayer aspect, socializers see the game as a communication platform while killers see it as a way to get attention. Achievers and explorers are the introverts, and for them, the multiplayer aspect is not really important. I have a few friends in the first category. They are very far from being socially isolated, even if they spend thousands of hours gaming. [1] https://mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm https://mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm
- brailsafe 5y ago
  I hadn't heard of any of that, so thanks for the link and description. As a recent WoW player, those archetypes are very familiar, and I'd say I'd fit into every category except maybe explorer, but the game has been out for an eternity. The friends I had in mind when I wrote the original comment are definitely just explorers as far as I can tell. Also, in retrospect I need to apologize for how incoherent my original comment was. I wrote it at 5am just as I am for this one.

GuB-42 5y ago

There are different kind of online game players. There is an old write-up[1] about MUDs, the ancestors of modern MMORPGs. Players are categorized into 4 archetypes: hearts, clubs, diamonds, and spades, also called socializers, killers, achievers and explorers respectively. Socializers and killers are the extroverts. They play the game for the multiplayer aspect, socializers see the game as a communication platform while killers see it as a way to get attention. Achievers and explorers are the introverts, and for them, the multiplayer aspect is not really important. I have a few friends in the first category. They are very far from being socially isolated, even if they spend thousands of hours gaming. [1] https://mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm https://mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm

brailsafe 5y ago
I hadn't heard of any of that, so thanks for the link and description. As a recent WoW player, those archetypes are very familiar, and I'd say I'd fit into every category except maybe explorer, but the game has been out for an eternity. The friends I had in mind when I wrote the original comment are definitely just explorers as far as I can tell. Also, in retrospect I need to apologize for how incoherent my original comment was. I wrote it at 5am just as I am for this one.