Who’s in charge?
Your kids. (And their online friends.)
How user-driven content and online socializing are changing games forever.
A MediaWise® Network Parent Guide to online gaming and kids.
©2007 National Institute on Media and the Family, Minneapolis, MN
Online Gaming Parent Glossary
Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOs)
MMO is a genre of online computer role-playing that bring together players from all over the globe in a persistent game world. In these games, players work alone or together to gain points and accomplish goals within the game. Most MMOs are based on a subscription revenue model and continue to make money after the game is first released through virtual economies. Games that feature role-playing are called Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games or MMPORGs.
Online social networking
More and more, online sites promote social connection by supporting user-created content that includes personal profiles, chat rooms, blogs, clubs, and the ability to post music, videos and audio commentary. Examples of online social networking sites popular among teens include MySpace, Xanga and Friendster. However, online social networking features are being integrated into many sites for adults and kids alike.
Profile
Think of a profile as a quick online description of a person, usually including name, nickname, or username, personal information such as age, birthday and interests, and photographs. Most profiles have a unique URL which can be visited directly.
Avatars
An avatar is an Internet users online representation of him or herself. Sometimes an avatar is an actual 3-D model, other times an avatar is an icon used in chat rooms or the personality attached to a screen name.
Guilds or Clans
In video gaming, a guild or clan is a group of people who play together in multiplayer online games. These groups can range from just a few people to a sponsored group of over 1000. Think of these as video game “teams.”
Griefers
People who torment new players by bullying or harassing them.
Xbox Live
Xbox Live on the Xbox 360 connects players to the Internet and enables them to chat with other players, send and receive voice messages, and play MMOs.
©2007 National Institute on Media and the Family, Minneapolis, MN
A country with 8 million people that you won’t find on a map. Welcome to World of Warcraft.
“It’s one of the most immersive and successful games ever created, and it could be the future of electronic entertainment.”
- Time Magazine Welcome to the virtual gaming world
Imagine a world where you can slay monsters, go on quests, hang out with friends from all over the world, and even complete mundane tasks like shopping, going to the tailor and fixing dinner - all without leaving the comfort of your own home. Welcome to Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft (WoW), the world’s leading MMPORG. In March 2007, 8.5 million players worldwide were paying a monthly subscription fee to access the WoW virtual online world. WoW is a fantasy game where players take on the identities of characters of different races, classes, and professions in order to explore the medieval world of Azeroth, complete increasingly challenging quests, and battle other players or non-player characters. The world is constantly evolving, ready to engage new and veteran players alike.
A social affair
WoW has destroyed the idea that you play video games by yourself or with a few close friends. Online forums dedicated to particular communities of players are wildly popular, players can join collaborative guilds and teams and can engage in real-time online chat as they play. In addition, players can express themselves emotionally onscreen, from dancing to flirting to making rude comments to other players.
Confusing the virtual world with the real one
The nature of games like WoW, with its strong social component, endless world, and team play, can make it hard for kids to stop playing. Most kids can play video games, keep up with friends, complete their schoolwork and live an otherwise balanced life. Other kids get hooked. The problem is bigger than a fight to get your kid to stop playing and come to the dinner table. The Chinese government recently proposed enforcing a time limit on China’s gamers to curb the social and financial costs brought on by the popularity of games like WoW.
©2007 National Institute on Media and the Family, Minneapolis, MN
ToonTown, Club Penguin, KidTroplis, and Webkinz
“One things that attracts kids [to these sites] is the sense of power kids get in a virtual world that they rarely experience in real life.”
- Business 2.0 reporter
Growing up online:
Cyberkids
Online gaming and socializing isn’t just for teens and college students anymore. A number of new online sites are designed specifically for children and families. In these virtual worlds, kids can create their own characters, explore neighborhoods, furnish their houses, train pets, and team up with friends. Disney’s Toontown is the first MMO for kids. In nonviolent Toontown, kids try to rid Toontown of humorless Cogs by playing gags and tricks on them. Webkinz bridges the gap between real-life and online toys. Kids buy stuffed animals that have a Web code attached, granting them access to the Webkinz Web site, where their toys come to life and they can take care of them, play games, and chat with other “pet owners.” Club Penguin New members are offered small, virtual penguins they can adopt, feed, and take care of. Kids also can play games, chat and socialize with their friends. Any kid can have a penguin for free, but must pay a monthly fee to access more fun features.
Safety precautions
Companies must take extra precautions to make these online worlds safe for kids. For example, Disney allows two options for communicating with other players in Toontown: SpeedChat and Secret Friends. Using SpeedChat, players can choose from a list of categories, each with appropriate phrases underneath them. In order to speak more freely with others, players must exchange secret codes that can only be exchanged outside of the game. Most other sites for kids feature similar safe chat options and limit the amount of personal information shared online.
©2007 National Institute on Media and the Family, Minneapolis, MN
The Future of Games
"The industry is on the threshold of a new era of creativity, collaboration, communication and commerce embedded into an experience to empower games."
- Phil Harrison, Sony
Downloadable episodic games
New online games compete for the most cutting edge, innovative content to keep players engaged over time. With the ease of digital distribution, more game publishers are looking to sell games in a sequence of episodes. Players either pay a single subscription fee or pay-per-episode in order to download new “chapters” containing content, weapons, missions, and plot lines. While this can make games more fun, it also poses new challenges for rating games and makes it difficult to monitor content.
Video games anytime, anywhere.
In addition to video game specific handheld devices, games are increasingly accessible on everything from cell phones to iPods. As games go online, kids will be able to play from any Internet ready device. Mobile entertainment is convenient for fun on the go, but it makes monitoring game play much more difficult for parents and schools.
Online social gaming
Most industry experts agree that MMOs will continue to expand beyond the traditional fantasy-adventure games that dominate the market today. The lines between games and online social networking will continue to blur. One industry leader says “Five years from now a social networking site without a 3D universe will look like a dinosaur.” Creating avatars, interacting with friends, and otherwise living a virtual life will be part and parcel of the video game experience. This also means that the same online predator and cyberbullying issues associated with sites like MySpace.com are coming to video games near you.
User driven content
It used to be that you needed a publisher to produce video games accessible to a wider audience. Today, new technologies make it easier for amateurs to design games and post them online for others to experience. The big game companies like Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony are jumping on the bandwagon quickly, sponsoring “community game” sites that encourage at-home game creation and creative content sharing. This is a great way for kids interested in computer graphics, storytelling and programming to practice their skills and have fun. It also poses new challenges for the rating system and for parents trying to monitor content.
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©2007 National Institute on Media and the Family, Minneapolis, MN
Playing games in a 3D Social Universe
"We want to start a movement called Game 3.0. It's about emerging entertainment, powered by the audience at the centre of the experience."
- Phil Harrison, Sony Entertainment
MySpace meets Second Life meets your kid’s video game console
Sony is hoping to build on the success of online social networking sites like MySpace.com with its new online gaming world “Home.” Set to launch in fall 2008, Home is essentially a 3D social networking service, available to Playstation 3 gamers everywhere. Players will be able to create avatars and do everything from buy new clothes to create their own homes to make and break friendships online. .
YouTube for the gaming world
"You don’t have to have a publisher. You can now just share [your game] with the world.”
- Chris Satchell, XNA Game Studio
Everyone can be a video game developer
More and more, you don’t have to go to a big box retailer to buy new video games. They may be coming from your friends and neighbors instead, and you can access them online. Set to launch sometime next year, players will be able to upload their own self-created games to a new channel on Xbox Live dedicated to community games. Microsoft sees this as a great way to build community, generate new content, and maybe even make money. Microsoft will give Xbox Live users access to a free do-it-yourself game programming tool called XNA Game Studio Express. This means that users will be able to create a game, share it, forward it to friends, and add other games to their favorites. In other words, YouTube for gamers.
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©2007 National Institute on Media and the Family, Minneapolis, MN
What to watch out for.
Addiction
MMOs and MMPORGs are more difficult to quit than standard console games because you work with others in a constantly evolving world that never ends. Computer game addiction is real and growing. If you think you or your child are struggling with video game addiction seek professional help. MediaWise video game addiction survey | Addiction information and resources
Advertising
There are about 29 million kids between the ages of 8-14 and they have a combined purchasing power of $40 billion. This means that companies have a vested interest in selling to kids as well as entertaining them. In new online games, companies can create their own networked spaces or characters and interact with kids on a daily basis. Make sure kids have tools to know when they are targeted. Network Survival Guide to Advertising | MediaWise fact sheet | Video: Jolts and Tricks
Online Predators
Just like any online social environment, kids playing online games are at risk of being targeted by Internet predators. Make sure to talk to your children about what information is private and shouldn’t be shared online, establish rules about online friends, and monitor their play. MediaWise Safety Series | Safety Tips for Surfing the Net
Netiquette
“Griefers” are the online equivalent of playground bullies. Some kids spend more time making fun of others online than they do advancing in the game. Make sure that you talk to your kids about what to do if they see something inappropriate online, establish basic rules of “netiquette,” and make sure there are consequences for irresponsible Internet use. Network Internet Respect Plans | Dr. Dave’s Column - Cyberbullying
©2007 National Institute on Media and the Family, Minneapolis, MN
MediaWise Tips
1. LIMIT playing time. MediaWise recommends no more than one hour a day. 2. USE other content sources and reviews to help you understand the game. A lot of the major online
games do have ESRB ratings. Other games do not. Check out online reviews for a sense of the game.
3. AVOID first-person shooter, killing games. There are plenty of great online games with age
appropriate content from which to choose. Try fantasy problem solving games instead of shoot-em-ups.
4. WATCH for warning signs of video game addiction. Stop obsessive playing before it gets out of control.
Go to the MediaWise addiction survey for more information.
5. DO NOT PUT video games or computers in kids’ bedrooms. Putting consoles and computers in family
areas make it easier to monitor playing time and content.
6. PLAY and ENJOY games with your kids. Online games are constantly evolving. Be sure to watch or play
with your kids as they advance in any game, so you can monitor content and connect with your kids.
7. TALK with your kids about griefers and cyberbullying. Come up with house rules of “netiquette” and
follow through with consequences if these are broken. Encourage your kids to talk to you if they see inappropriate behavior online.
8. MEETING online gaming friends requires adult supervision. Your kids may feel quite close to other
gamers they meet online. Remind them that these people are still strangers and that it isn’t safe to meet them alone.
9. SET clear house rules around Internet/game use and time. Require that homework and chores be
done before playing.
10. DISCUSS teamwork and good sportsmanship with your child. Kids can learn great lessons in
collaboration and teamwork in online games. Discuss the value of being a respectful and positive team player. Ask about what they’ve learned from the other players on their team or in their guild.
11. ENCOURAGE your child to play with friends “off line,” away from the computer.
©2007 National Institute on Media and the Family, Minneapolis, MN