Who Decided on “MMORPG”?

Have you ever asked yourself where the genre titles to our beloved games come from? Or who’s the high and mighty power that decided on ‘MMORPG’? You might be surprised by the answer: its you!

To be more exact, it’s the gaming community that you belong to that decides how games are classified, the typical Joe-Shmoe. Although, most are likely to deny having any part in the allocation of the sub-sub-genre SRTSRPG, Semi Real-Time System Role-Playing Game (Warning: elderly persons should not attempt to repeat acronym).  Even if the video game industry is creating the games, whether creative or simply recycled, it’s within the community’s own power to define itself and provide the final word.

But lately, it feels as though video game genre titles are becoming an isolating factor to those outside the gaming community. The general public at large finds it increasingly difficult to keep pace with the constant flux that governs the gaming world. For them, it can be difficult to associate games with their acronyms such as MMOFPS, Massive Multiplayer Online First Person Shooters, such as World War II Online: Battle Ground Europe.

Even noted game designer Chris Crawford agrees that although gamers might enjoy their tight-knit crowd, it’s to everyone’s benefit to establish an inclusive gaming community. A broader demographic of gamers would likely mean greater innovation to further entice newcomers while retaining the ardent veterans. It might just be a simple title, but the small things make all the difference in the long run.

Of course, there are other alternatives to the democratic/capitalist principles of representation we practice.

1) Soviet Communism: Bring about a classless community that insists on socialism but in the end takes the fun out of everything by replacing consoles with diesel-powered computers that are accessed with bribes instead of passwords.

2) Theocracy: A conservative clique that only allows one single game to ever be played (lets cross our fingers it’s not Aqua Man: Battle for Atlantis).

3) Dictatorship: A Robert Mugabe-like figure who mismanages the market so poorly that game prices inflate 2,000,000%, leaving gamers to barter for the latest Zelda in goats.

4) Absolute Monarchy: Similar to a dictatorship, except the King or Queen gets to wear a cape.

…Maybe we should stick with the democratic way.