Guilds in particular can become surrogate families, and it's not uncommon for some players to know their guildmates as well or better than they do the members of their real-life social networks. Fighting alongside your guild to conquer the latest and most challenging content can provide the same sort of camaraderie you experience participating in team sports. It stands to reason that if you spend several hours a week with a group of people, your bonds can grow quite strong. There's also something profoundly satisfying about being part of a team effort. Being rewarded for your contributions with shiny loot can be as memorable as any trophy.
But there are many ways to meet people and socialize in real life that can provide that same level of satisfaction. So why is it that so many millions of players have turned to World of Warcraft and other MMOs as one of their primary sources for social interaction? One reason is the alleviation of social anxiety, an all-too-common issue that isn't limited to teens and young adults. Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental illnesses in the U.S., affecting 15 million adults in the U.S. age 18 and older, and it's equally common among men and women, according to Anxiety Disorders Association of America.
When my WoW guild met up during Blizzcon, there were some awkward silences until we started talking about the game.
Many of the pressures that one faces when interacting with people in real life are alleviated by the distance and safety provided by the anonymity of the MMO avatar. It can be easier to socialize in an MMO than in real life because you don't have to deal with embarrassing things. Like farting.
Farts are a funny subject, and a perfect example of how online gaming changes the rules when it comes to socializing. In real life, the sound of a fart can elicit a laugh, but passing gas in an elevator or other public place can be mortifyingly embarrassing. You don't have to worry about what you look like, sound like, or smell like in a game like World of Warcraft. There's no need to be self-conscious because there is literally no one watching you. All the people around you see when they look at your avatar is the socially acceptable, exquisitely buff character model. The /fart command is safe and funny, because in World of Warcraft, farts don't stink.
In World of Warcraft no one has crooked teeth (except some trolls), no one is overweight, and no one has to deal with a speech impediment. You're only as pretty or ugly as you perceive yourself to be. Discrimination is almost a complete non-factor.
In many ways, it's an egalitarian society like none other -- a community of equals, save for the meritocratic aspects that a guild may impose in order to reward its members in the effort to succeed. In today's society, where there are far too many have-nots, the equality offered by the World of Warcraft community is a refreshing change.
