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According to a recent study entitled “Social Interactions in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Gamers” done by Nottingham Trent University and reported by GamesIndustry.biz, MMORPG players are not socially introverted. The report, which was published in the US journal CyberPsychology and Behavior, dispels the myth that online gamers are asocial.

Nottingham Trent University professor Mark Griffiths has stated “This study has revealed many aspects of MMORPGs that were not known before … Previous research has suggested that gamers are socially inactive, but MMORPGs are actually extremely social games, with high percentages of gamers making life-long friends and even partners.”

The study took in nearly 1,000 MMORPG online gamers from around the world, researchers found that three quarters of gamers make good friends with the people they meet online. Almost half have met in real-life situations, and one in ten went on to develop physical relationships.

According to the study, gamers played an average of 22.85 hours per week. The most popular MMORPG in the study was World of Warcraft.

Other finds of the study were:

• 30 per cent of gamers found themselves attracted to another player,
• 40 per cent chose to discuss sensitive issues with online friends rather than real-life friends.
• 81 per cent of gamers play with real-life friends and family as well as make good friends online

In the final analysis, the study reported that - “The virtual world that these games offer, allows players to express themselves in ways they may not feel comfortable doing in real life because of their appearance, gender, sexuality, age, or other factors. They also offer a place where teamwork, encouragement and fun can all be experienced.”