Warcraft--not that there's anything wrong with that
Warcraft is one of the most popular online games. But, gaming worlds, like the real ones, need to be sensitive to their citizens. BBC reports that a Warcraft player named Sara Andrews was threatened with expulsion from the fantasy game because she'd tried to set up a gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender friendly team. A sys op told her that she was in violation of Warcraft's term of service, apparently because she used the word "lesbian". After the inevitable furor, the company apologized and said that it was going to run its staff through sensitivity training.
I see a story like this every few months. The online gaming worlds are a fascinating precursor of things to come. They're about a lot more than gaming. They're truly alternate realities and people that live there may fantasize a little about adventure and romance, but their values are the same. It would be a big mistake to assume otherwise.
Keep an eye on the online gaming world. It foreshadows something very new. Even nongamers will live in these worlds, sometimes, some day.
Posted on February 13, 2006
