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Wikipedia

Online game

March 21, 2023

An online game is a video game that is either partially or primarily played through the Internet or any other computer network available.[1] Online games are ubiquitous on modern gaming platforms, including PCs, consoles and mobile devices, and span many genres, including first-person shooters, strategy games, and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG).[2] In 2019, revenue in the online games segment reached $16.9 billion, with $4.2 billion generated by China and $3.5 billion in the United States.[3] Since 2010s, a common trend among online games has been operating them as games as a service, using monetization schemes such as loot boxes and battle passes as purchasable items atop freely-offered games.[4][5] Unlike purchased retail games, online games have the problem of not being permanently playable, as they require special servers in order to function.

Combat in the game Eve Online

The design of online games can range from simple text-based environments to the incorporation of complex graphics and virtual worlds.[6] The existence of online components within a game can range from being minor features, such as an online leaderboard, to being part of core gameplay, such as directly playing against other players. Many online games create their own online communities, while other games, especially social games, integrate the players' existing real-life communities.[7] Some online games can receive a massive influx of popularity due to many well-known Twitch streamers and YouTubers playing them.[8]

Online gaming has drastically increased the scope and size of video game culture. Online games have attracted players from a variety of ages, nationalities, and occupations.[9][10][11] The online game content is now being studied in the scientific field, especially gamers' interactions within virtual societies in relation to the behavior and social phenomena of everyday life.[9][10][12]As in other cultures, the community has developed a gamut of slang words or phrases that can be used for communication in or outside of games. Due to their growing online nature, modern video game slang overlaps heavily with internet slang, as well as leetspeak, with many words such "pwn" and "noob".[13][14] Another term that was popularized by the video game community is the abbreviation "AFK" to refer to people who are not at the computer or paying attention.[15] Other common abbreviations include "GL HF" which stands for "good luck, have fun," which is often said at the beginning of a match to show good sportsmanship.[16] Likewise, at the end of a game, "GG" or "GG WP" may be said to congratulate the opponent, win or lose, on a "good game, well played".[17] Many video games have also inspired internet memes and achieved a very large following online.[18]

The culture of online gaming sometimes faces criticisms for an environment that can promote cyberbullying, violence, and xenophobia. Some are also concerned about gaming addiction or social stigma.[19] However, it has been argued that, since the players of an online game are strangers to each other and have limited communication, the individual player's experience in an online game is not necessarily different from playing with artificial intelligence players.[20]

History

Main article: History of online games

The history of online games dates back to the early days of packet-based computer networking in the 1970s,[7] An early example of online games are MUDs, including the first, MUD1, which was created in 1978 and originally confined to an internal network before becoming connected to ARPANet in 1980.[21] Commercial games followed in the next decade, with Islands of Kesmai, the first commercial online role-playing game, debuting in 1984,[21] as well as more graphical games, such as the MSX LINKS action games in 1986,[22] the flight simulator Air Warrior in 1987, and the Famicom Modem's online Go game in 1987.[23]

The rapid availability of the Internet in the 1990s led to an expansion of online games, with notable titles including Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds (1996), Quakeworld (1996), Ultima Online (1997), Lineage (1998), StarCraft (1998), Counter-Strike (1999) and EverQuest (1999). Video game consoles also began to receive online networking features, such as the Famicom Modem (1987), Sega Meganet (1990), Satellaview (1995), SegaNet (2000), PlayStation 2 (2000) and Xbox (2001).[6][24] Following improvements in connection speeds,[19] more recent developments include the popularization of new genres, such as social games, and new platforms, such as mobile games.[25][better source needed]

Entering into the 2000s, the cost of technology, servers, and the Internet has dropped so far that fast Internet was commonplace,[26] which led to previously unknown genres like massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) becoming well-known. For example, World of Warcraft (2004) dominated much of the decade.[4] Several other MMOs attempted to follow in Warcraft's footsteps, such as Star Wars Galaxies, City of Heroes, Wildstar, Warhammer Online, Guild Wars 2, and Star Wars: The Old Republic, but failed to make a significant impact in Warcraft's market share.[4] Over time, the MMORPG community has developed a sub-culture with its own slang and metaphors, as well as an unwritten list of social rules and taboos.

Separately, a new type of online game came to popularity alongside World of Warcraft, Defense of the Ancients (2003) which introduced the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) format.[27][28] DotA, a community-created mod based on Warcraft III, gained in popularity as interest in World of Warcraft waned, but since the format was tied to the Warcraft property, others began to develop their own MOBAs, including Heroes of Newerth (2009), League of Legends (2010), and Dota 2 (2013).[29] Blizzard Entertainment, the owner of Warcraft property, released their own take on the MOBA genre with Heroes of the Storm (2015), emphasizing on numerous original heroes from Warcraft III and other Blizzard's franchises.[30] By the early 2010s, the genre has become a big part of the esports category.[4]

During the last half of the 2010s, hero shooter, a variation of shooter games inspired by multiplayer online battle arenas and older class-based shooters, had a substantial rise in popularity with the release of Battleborn and Overwatch in 2016.[31] The genre continued to grow with games such as Paladins (2018) and Valorant (2020).

A battle royale game format became widely popular with the release of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (2017), Fortnite Battle Royale (2017), and Apex Legends (2019). The popularity of the genre continued in the 2020s with the release of the Call of Duty: Warzone (2020). Each game has received tens of millions of players within months of their releases.[4][32]


Demographics

The assumption that online games in general are populated mostly by males has remained somewhat accurate for years. Recent statistics begin to diminish the male domination myth in gaming culture. Although a worldwide number of male gamers still dominates over female (52% by 48%),[33] women accounted for more than half of the players of certain games. As of 2019, the average gamer is 33 years old.[34]

The report Online Game Market Forecasts estimates worldwide revenue from online games to reach $35 billion by 2017, up from $19 billion in 2011.[35]

Platforms

Console gaming

Main articles: Xbox Live and PlayStation Network

Xbox Live was launched in November 2002. Initially the console only used a feature called system link, where players could connect two consoles using an Ethernet cable, or multiple consoles through a router. With the original Xbox Microsoft launched Xbox Live, allowing shared play over the internet. A similar feature exists on the PlayStation 3 in the form of the PlayStation Network, and the Wii also supports a limited amount of online gaming. Nintendo also has a network, dubbed "Nintendo Network", that fully supports online gaming with the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS.

Browser games

Main article: Browser game

As the World Wide Web developed and browsers became more sophisticated, people started creating browser games that used a web browser as a client. Simple single player games were made that could be played using a web browser (most commonly made with web technologies like HTML, JavaScript, ASP, PHP and MySQL).

The development of web-based graphics technologies such as Flash and Java allowed browser games to become more complex. These games, also known by their related technology as "Flash games" or "Java games", became increasingly popular. Games ranged from simple concepts to large-scale games, some of which were later released on consoles. Many Java or Flash games were shared on various different websites, bringing them to wide audiences.[36] Browser-based pet games are popular among the younger generation of online gamers. These games range from gigantic games with millions of users, such as Neopets, to smaller and more community-based pet games.

More recent browser-based games use web technologies like Ajax to make more complicated multiplayer interactions possible and WebGL to generate hardware-accelerated 3D graphics without the need for plugins.

Types of interactions

Player versus environment (PvE)

Main article: Player versus environment

PvE is a term used in online games, particularly MMORPGs and other role-playing video games, to refer to fighting computer-controlled opponents.

Player versus player (PvP)

Main article: Player versus player

PvP is a term broadly used to describe any game, or aspect of a game, where players compete against each other rather than against computer-controlled opponents.

Online games

First-person shooter game (FPS)

Main article: First-person shooter

During the 1990s, online games started to move from a wide variety of LAN protocols (such as IPX) and onto the Internet using the TCP/IP protocol. Doom popularized the concept of a deathmatch, where multiple players battle each other head-to-head, as a new form of online game. Since Doom, many first-person shooter games contain online components to allow deathmatch or arena style play. And by popularity, first person shooter games are becoming more and more widespread around the world. As games became more realistic and competitive, an e-sports community was born. Games like Counter-Strike, Halo, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Quake Live and Unreal Tournament are popular with these tournaments. These tournaments have a range of winnings from money to hardware.

Expansion of hero shooters, a sub-genre of shooter games, happened in 2016 when several developers released or announced their hero shooter multiplayer online game. Hero shooters have been considered to have strong potential as an esport, as a large degree of skill and coordination arises from the importance of teamwork. Some notable examples include Battleborn, Overwatch, Paladins and Valorant.[37]

Real-time strategy game (RTS)

Main article: Real-time strategy

Early real-time strategy games often allowed multiplayer play over a modem or local network.[38] As the Internet started to grow during the 1990s, software was developed that would allow players to tunnel the LAN protocols used by the games over the Internet. By the late 1990s, most RTS games had native Internet support, allowing players from all over the globe to play with each other.[38] Popular RTS games with online communities have included Age of Empires, Sins of a Solar Empire, StarCraft and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War.

Massively multiplayer online game (MMO)

Main article: Massively multiplayer online game

Massively multiplayer online games were made possible with the growth of broadband Internet access in many developed countries, using the Internet to allow hundreds of thousands of players to play the same game together. Many different styles of massively multiplayer games are available, such as:

Multiplayer online battle arena game (MOBA)

Main article: Multiplayer online battle arena

A specific subgenre of strategy video games referred to as multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) gained popularity in the 2010s as a form of electronic sports, encompassing games such as the Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft III, League of Legends, Dota 2, Smite, and Heroes of the Storm.[39] Major esports professional tournaments are held in venues that can hold tens of thousands of spectators and are streamed online to millions more.[40][41][42] A strong fanbase has opened up the opportunity for sponsorship and advertising, eventually leading the genre to become a global cultural phenomenon.[29][43]

Battle Royale games

Main article: Battle royale game

A battle royale game is a genre that blends the survival, exploration and scavenging elements of a survival game with last-man-standing gameplay. Dozens to hundreds of players are involved in each match, with the winner being the last player or team alive. Some notable examples include PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Fortnite Battle Royale, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty: Warzone, each having received tens of millions of players within months of their releases.[44][32] The genre is designed exclusively for multiplayer gameplay over the Internet.

MUD

Main article: MUD

MUD are a class of multi-user real-time virtual worlds, usually but not exclusively text-based, with a history extending back to the creation of MUD1 by Richard Bartle in 1978. MUD were the direct predecessors of MMORPG.[45]

Other notable games

A social deduction game is a multiplayer online game in which players attempt to uncover each other's hidden role or team allegiance using logic and deductive reasoning, while other players can bluff to keep players from suspecting them. A notable example of the social deduction video game is Among Us, which received a massive influx of popularity in 2020 due to many well-known Twitch streamers and YouTubers playing it.[18] Among Us has also inspired internet memes and achieved a very large following online.[46]

Online game governance

Online gamers must agree to an End-user license agreement (EULA) when they first install the game application or an update. EULA is a legal contract between the producer or distributor and the end-user of an application or software, which is to prevent the program from being copied, redistributed or hacked.[47] The consequences of breaking the agreement vary according to the contract. Players could receive warnings to termination, or direct termination without warning. In the 3D immersive world Second Life where a breach of contract will append the player warnings, suspension and termination depending on the offense.[48]

Where online games supports an in-game chat feature, it is not uncommon to encounter hate speech, sexual harassment and cyberbullying.[49][50] Players, developers, gaming companies, and professional observers are discussing and developing tools which discourage antisocial behavior.[51] There are also sometimes Moderators present, who attempt to prevent anti-Social behavior.

Recent development of gaming governance requires all video games (including online games) to hold a rating label. The voluntary rating system was established by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). A scale can range from "E" (stands for Everyone) inferring games that are suitable for both children and adults, to "M" (stands for Mature) recommending games that are restricted to age above 17. Some explicit online games can be rated "AO" (stands for Adult Only), identifying games that have content suitable for only adults over the age of 18. Furthermore, online games must also carry an ESRB notice that warns that any "online interactions are not rated by the ESRB".

Shutdown of games

The video game industry is highly competitive. As a result, many online games end up not generating enough profits, such that the service providers do not have the incentives to continue running the servers. In such cases, the developers of a game might decide to shut down the server permanently.

Shutting down an online game can severely impact the players. Typically, a server shutdown means players will no longer be able to play the game. For many players, this can cause a sense of loss at an emotional level, since they often dedicate time and effort to making in-game progress, e.g., completing in-game tasks to earn items for their characters. In some other cases, the game might still be playable without the server, but certain important functionalities will be lost. For example, earning key in-game items often requires a server that can track each player's progress. [52]

In some cases, an online game may be relaunched in a substantially different form after shutting down, in an attempt to increase the game's quality, remedy low sales, or reverse a declining player base, and see significantly greater success. Final Fantasy XIV was negatively received upon its 2010 release, and relaunched as A Realm Reborn in 2013 - the new version was met with considerable positive reception, and is still running as of 2022. [53] Splitgate: Arena Warfare relaunched as Splitgate in 2021, switching to a free-to-play model and adding cross-platform multiplayer, and subsequently saw 2 million new players, with the servers being unable to handle the influx.[54]

However, games may remain a commercial failure despite a planned relaunch. These include the 2015 asymmetrical first-person shooter Evolve, which transitioned to a free-to-play title known as Evolve Stage 2 a year after launch, after it was criticized for its significant amount of DLC despite being a full-priced game, but had its servers permanently shut down roughly two years later after its user base "evaporated" as a result of infrequent updates.[55] The 2019 looter-shooter Anthem was also planned to be relaunched as Anthem Next, but the changes were never implemented, partially due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and an unwillingness to further invest in the game by Electronic Arts, and it was permanently shut down.[56]

See also

References

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March 21, 2023
online, game, online, game, video, game, that, either, partially, primarily, played, through, internet, other, computer, network, available, ubiquitous, modern, gaming, platforms, including, consoles, mobile, devices, span, many, genres, including, first, pers. An online game is a video game that is either partially or primarily played through the Internet or any other computer network available 1 Online games are ubiquitous on modern gaming platforms including PCs consoles and mobile devices and span many genres including first person shooters strategy games and massively multiplayer online role playing games MMORPG 2 In 2019 revenue in the online games segment reached 16 9 billion with 4 2 billion generated by China and 3 5 billion in the United States 3 Since 2010s a common trend among online games has been operating them as games as a service using monetization schemes such as loot boxes and battle passes as purchasable items atop freely offered games 4 5 Unlike purchased retail games online games have the problem of not being permanently playable as they require special servers in order to function Combat in the game Eve Online The design of online games can range from simple text based environments to the incorporation of complex graphics and virtual worlds 6 The existence of online components within a game can range from being minor features such as an online leaderboard to being part of core gameplay such as directly playing against other players Many online games create their own online communities while other games especially social games integrate the players existing real life communities 7 Some online games can receive a massive influx of popularity due to many well known Twitch streamers and YouTubers playing them 8 Online gaming has drastically increased the scope and size of video game culture Online games have attracted players from a variety of ages nationalities and occupations 9 10 11 The online game content is now being studied in the scientific field especially gamers interactions within virtual societies in relation to the behavior and social phenomena of everyday life 9 10 12 As in other cultures the community has developed a gamut of slang words or phrases that can be used for communication in or outside of games Due to their growing online nature modern video game slang overlaps heavily with internet slang as well as leetspeak with many words such pwn and noob 13 14 Another term that was popularized by the video game community is the abbreviation AFK to refer to people who are not at the computer or paying attention 15 Other common abbreviations include GL HF which stands for good luck have fun which is often said at the beginning of a match to show good sportsmanship 16 Likewise at the end of a game GG or GG WP may be said to congratulate the opponent win or lose on a good game well played 17 Many video games have also inspired internet memes and achieved a very large following online 18 The culture of online gaming sometimes faces criticisms for an environment that can promote cyberbullying violence and xenophobia Some are also concerned about gaming addiction or social stigma 19 However it has been argued that since the players of an online game are strangers to each other and have limited communication the individual player s experience in an online game is not necessarily different from playing with artificial intelligence players 20 Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 3 Platforms 3 1 Console gaming 3 2 Browser games 4 Types of interactions 4 1 Player versus environment PvE 4 2 Player versus player PvP 5 Online games 5 1 First person shooter game FPS 5 2 Real time strategy game RTS 5 3 Massively multiplayer online game MMO 5 4 Multiplayer online battle arena game MOBA 5 5 Battle Royale games 5 6 MUD 5 7 Other notable games 6 Online game governance 7 Shutdown of games 8 See also 9 ReferencesHistory EditMain article History of online games The history of online games dates back to the early days of packet based computer networking in the 1970s 7 An early example of online games are MUDs including the first MUD1 which was created in 1978 and originally confined to an internal network before becoming connected to ARPANet in 1980 21 Commercial games followed in the next decade with Islands of Kesmai the first commercial online role playing game debuting in 1984 21 as well as more graphical games such as the MSX LINKS action games in 1986 22 the flight simulator Air Warrior in 1987 and the Famicom Modem s online Go game in 1987 23 The rapid availability of the Internet in the 1990s led to an expansion of online games with notable titles including Nexus The Kingdom of the Winds 1996 Quakeworld 1996 Ultima Online 1997 Lineage 1998 StarCraft 1998 Counter Strike 1999 and EverQuest 1999 Video game consoles also began to receive online networking features such as the Famicom Modem 1987 Sega Meganet 1990 Satellaview 1995 SegaNet 2000 PlayStation 2 2000 and Xbox 2001 6 24 Following improvements in connection speeds 19 more recent developments include the popularization of new genres such as social games and new platforms such as mobile games 25 better source needed Entering into the 2000s the cost of technology servers and the Internet has dropped so far that fast Internet was commonplace 26 which led to previously unknown genres like massively multiplayer online games MMOs becoming well known For example World of Warcraft 2004 dominated much of the decade 4 Several other MMOs attempted to follow in Warcraft s footsteps such as Star Wars Galaxies City of Heroes Wildstar Warhammer Online Guild Wars 2 and Star Wars The Old Republic but failed to make a significant impact in Warcraft s market share 4 Over time the MMORPG community has developed a sub culture with its own slang and metaphors as well as an unwritten list of social rules and taboos Separately a new type of online game came to popularity alongside World of Warcraft Defense of the Ancients 2003 which introduced the multiplayer online battle arena MOBA format 27 28 DotA a community created mod based on Warcraft III gained in popularity as interest in World of Warcraft waned but since the format was tied to the Warcraft property others began to develop their own MOBAs including Heroes of Newerth 2009 League of Legends 2010 and Dota 2 2013 29 Blizzard Entertainment the owner of Warcraft property released their own take on the MOBA genre with Heroes of the Storm 2015 emphasizing on numerous original heroes from Warcraft III and other Blizzard s franchises 30 By the early 2010s the genre has become a big part of the esports category 4 During the last half of the 2010s hero shooter a variation of shooter games inspired by multiplayer online battle arenas and older class based shooters had a substantial rise in popularity with the release of Battleborn and Overwatch in 2016 31 The genre continued to grow with games such as Paladins 2018 and Valorant 2020 A battle royale game format became widely popular with the release of PlayerUnknown s Battlegrounds 2017 Fortnite Battle Royale 2017 and Apex Legends 2019 The popularity of the genre continued in the 2020s with the release of the Call of Duty Warzone 2020 Each game has received tens of millions of players within months of their releases 4 32 Demographics EditThe assumption that online games in general are populated mostly by males has remained somewhat accurate for years Recent statistics begin to diminish the male domination myth in gaming culture Although a worldwide number of male gamers still dominates over female 52 by 48 33 women accounted for more than half of the players of certain games As of 2019 the average gamer is 33 years old 34 The report Online Game Market Forecasts estimates worldwide revenue from online games to reach 35 billion by 2017 up from 19 billion in 2011 35 Platforms EditConsole gaming Edit Main articles Xbox Live and PlayStation Network Xbox Live was launched in November 2002 Initially the console only used a feature called system link where players could connect two consoles using an Ethernet cable or multiple consoles through a router With the original Xbox Microsoft launched Xbox Live allowing shared play over the internet A similar feature exists on the PlayStation 3 in the form of the PlayStation Network and the Wii also supports a limited amount of online gaming Nintendo also has a network dubbed Nintendo Network that fully supports online gaming with the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS Browser games Edit Main article Browser game This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This section s factual accuracy may be compromised due to out of date information Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information July 2021 This section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed July 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message This section needs expansion with historic perspective and additional citations You can help by adding to it July 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message As the World Wide Web developed and browsers became more sophisticated people started creating browser games that used a web browser as a client Simple single player games were made that could be played using a web browser most commonly made with web technologies like HTML JavaScript ASP PHP and MySQL The development of web based graphics technologies such as Flash and Java allowed browser games to become more complex These games also known by their related technology as Flash games or Java games became increasingly popular Games ranged from simple concepts to large scale games some of which were later released on consoles Many Java or Flash games were shared on various different websites bringing them to wide audiences 36 Browser based pet games are popular among the younger generation of online gamers These games range from gigantic games with millions of users such as Neopets to smaller and more community based pet games More recent browser based games use web technologies like Ajax to make more complicated multiplayer interactions possible and WebGL to generate hardware accelerated 3D graphics without the need for plugins Types of interactions EditPlayer versus environment PvE Edit Main article Player versus environment PvE is a term used in online games particularly MMORPGs and other role playing video games to refer to fighting computer controlled opponents Player versus player PvP Edit Main article Player versus player PvP is a term broadly used to describe any game or aspect of a game where players compete against each other rather than against computer controlled opponents Online games EditFirst person shooter game FPS Edit Main article First person shooter During the 1990s online games started to move from a wide variety of LAN protocols such as IPX and onto the Internet using the TCP IP protocol Doom popularized the concept of a deathmatch where multiple players battle each other head to head as a new form of online game Since Doom many first person shooter games contain online components to allow deathmatch or arena style play And by popularity first person shooter games are becoming more and more widespread around the world As games became more realistic and competitive an e sports community was born Games like Counter Strike Halo Call of Duty Advanced Warfare Quake Live and Unreal Tournament are popular with these tournaments These tournaments have a range of winnings from money to hardware Expansion of hero shooters a sub genre of shooter games happened in 2016 when several developers released or announced their hero shooter multiplayer online game Hero shooters have been considered to have strong potential as an esport as a large degree of skill and coordination arises from the importance of teamwork Some notable examples include Battleborn Overwatch Paladins and Valorant 37 Real time strategy game RTS Edit Main article Real time strategy Early real time strategy games often allowed multiplayer play over a modem or local network 38 As the Internet started to grow during the 1990s software was developed that would allow players to tunnel the LAN protocols used by the games over the Internet By the late 1990s most RTS games had native Internet support allowing players from all over the globe to play with each other 38 Popular RTS games with online communities have included Age of Empires Sins of a Solar Empire StarCraft and Warhammer 40 000 Dawn of War Massively multiplayer online game MMO Edit Main article Massively multiplayer online game Massively multiplayer online games were made possible with the growth of broadband Internet access in many developed countries using the Internet to allow hundreds of thousands of players to play the same game together Many different styles of massively multiplayer games are available such as MMORPG Massively multiplayer online role playing game MMORTS Massively multiplayer online real time strategy MMOFPS Massively multiplayer online first person shooter MMOSG Massively multiplayer online social game Multiplayer online battle arena game MOBA Edit Main article Multiplayer online battle arena A specific subgenre of strategy video games referred to as multiplayer online battle arena MOBA gained popularity in the 2010s as a form of electronic sports encompassing games such as the Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft III League of Legends Dota 2 Smite and Heroes of the Storm 39 Major esports professional tournaments are held in venues that can hold tens of thousands of spectators and are streamed online to millions more 40 41 42 A strong fanbase has opened up the opportunity for sponsorship and advertising eventually leading the genre to become a global cultural phenomenon 29 43 Battle Royale games Edit Main article Battle royale game A battle royale game is a genre that blends the survival exploration and scavenging elements of a survival game with last man standing gameplay Dozens to hundreds of players are involved in each match with the winner being the last player or team alive Some notable examples include PlayerUnknown s Battlegrounds Fortnite Battle Royale Apex Legends and Call of Duty Warzone each having received tens of millions of players within months of their releases 44 32 The genre is designed exclusively for multiplayer gameplay over the Internet MUD Edit Main article MUD MUD are a class of multi user real time virtual worlds usually but not exclusively text based with a history extending back to the creation of MUD1 by Richard Bartle in 1978 MUD were the direct predecessors of MMORPG 45 Other notable games Edit A social deduction game is a multiplayer online game in which players attempt to uncover each other s hidden role or team allegiance using logic and deductive reasoning while other players can bluff to keep players from suspecting them A notable example of the social deduction video game is Among Us which received a massive influx of popularity in 2020 due to many well known Twitch streamers and YouTubers playing it 18 Among Us has also inspired internet memes and achieved a very large following online 46 Online game governance EditOnline gamers must agree to an End user license agreement EULA when they first install the game application or an update EULA is a legal contract between the producer or distributor and the end user of an application or software which is to prevent the program from being copied redistributed or hacked 47 The consequences of breaking the agreement vary according to the contract Players could receive warnings to termination or direct termination without warning In the 3D immersive world Second Life where a breach of contract will append the player warnings suspension and termination depending on the offense 48 Where online games supports an in game chat feature it is not uncommon to encounter hate speech sexual harassment and cyberbullying 49 50 Players developers gaming companies and professional observers are discussing and developing tools which discourage antisocial behavior 51 There are also sometimes Moderators present who attempt to prevent anti Social behavior Recent development of gaming governance requires all video games including online games to hold a rating label The voluntary rating system was established by the Entertainment Software Rating Board ESRB A scale can range from E stands for Everyone inferring games that are suitable for both children and adults to M stands for Mature recommending games that are restricted to age above 17 Some explicit online games can be rated AO stands for Adult Only identifying games that have content suitable for only adults over the age of 18 Furthermore online games must also carry an ESRB notice that warns that any online interactions are not rated by the ESRB Shutdown of games EditThe video game industry is highly competitive As a result many online games end up not generating enough profits such that the service providers do not have the incentives to continue running the servers In such cases the developers of a game might decide to shut down the server permanently Shutting down an online game can severely impact the players Typically a server shutdown means players will no longer be able to play the game For many players this can cause a sense of loss at an emotional level since they often dedicate time and effort to making in game progress e g completing in game tasks to earn items for their characters In some other cases the game might still be playable without the server but certain important functionalities will be lost For example earning key in game items often requires a server that can track each player s progress 52 In some cases an online game may be relaunched in a substantially different form after shutting down in an attempt to increase the game s quality remedy low sales or reverse a declining player base and see significantly greater success Final Fantasy XIV was negatively received upon its 2010 release and relaunched as A Realm Reborn in 2013 the new version was met with considerable positive reception and is still running as of 2022 53 Splitgate Arena Warfare relaunched as Splitgate in 2021 switching to a free to play model and adding cross platform multiplayer and subsequently saw 2 million new players with the servers being unable to handle the influx 54 However games may remain a commercial failure despite a planned relaunch These include the 2015 asymmetrical first person shooter Evolve which transitioned to a free to play title known as Evolve Stage 2 a year after launch after it was criticized for its significant amount of DLC despite being a full priced game but had its servers permanently shut down roughly two years later after its user base evaporated as a result of infrequent updates 55 The 2019 looter shooter Anthem was also planned to be relaunched as Anthem Next but the changes were never implemented partially due to the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic and an unwillingness to further invest in the game by Electronic Arts and it was permanently shut down 56 See also Edit Video games portalList of video game genres Game server Massively multiplayer online game Multiplayer video game Online text based role playing game Voice chat in online gamingReferences Edit Andrew Rollings Ernest Adams 2006 Fundamentals of Game Design Prentice Hall Quandt Thorsten Kroger Sonja 2014 Multiplayer The Social Aspects of Digital Gaming London Routledge ISBN 978 0 415 82886 4 Skeldon Paul January 9 2020 Global online games revenue to reach 17 8 billion by 2024 Media amp Content a b c d e Marshall Cass November 11 2019 The decade when online video games changed everything Polygon Retrieved November 11 2019 How games as a service are changing the way we play Red Bull Retrieved September 15 2020 a b Hachman Mark Infographic A Massive History of Multiplayer Online Gaming PC Magazine Retrieved October 6 2015 a b David R Woolley PLATO The Emergence of Online Community thinkofit com Archived from the original on September 4 2013 Retrieved October 12 2013 Says Cannon September 8 2020 Among Us Improbable Rise To The Top Of Twitch Kotaku Australia Retrieved July 12 2021 a b Martney R 2014 The strategic female gender switching and player behavior in online games Information Communication amp Society 17 3 286 300 doi 10 1080 1369118x 2013 874493 S2CID 144974067 a b Worth N 2014 Personality and behavior in a massively multiplayer online role playing game Computers in Human Behavior 38 322 330 doi 10 1016 j chb 2014 06 009 Schiano D 2014 The lonely gamer revisited Entertainment Computing 5 65 70 doi 10 1016 j entcom 2013 08 002 Barnett Jane Coulson Mark 2010 Virtually Real A Psychological Perspective on Massively Multiplayer Online Games Review of General Psychology 14 2 167 179 doi 10 1037 a0019442 ISSN 1089 2680 S2CID 144524947 Paez Danny How PWNED went from hacker slang to the internet s favorite taunt Inverse Retrieved March 17 2021 Paez Danny How n00b became the nicest way to be mean online Inverse Retrieved March 17 2021 Vicente Vann What Does AFK Mean and How Do You Use It How To Geek Retrieved March 17 2021 Andrew Heinzman What Does GLHF Mean and How Do You Use It How To Geek Retrieved March 17 2021 Vicente Vann What Does GG Mean and How Do You Use It How To Geek Retrieved March 17 2021 a b Gaming the System Among Us memes convey the pain of an internet dependent world The Daily Free Press Retrieved July 12 2021 a b Rouse Margaret Gaming WhatIs com What s the Future of Online Gaming Next Generation No 19 Imagine Media July 1996 pp 6 10 a b Mulligan Jessica Patrovsky Bridgette 2003 Developing online games an insider s guide Indianapolis Ind u a New Riders Publ ISBN 978 1 59273 000 1 The LINKS Network MSX Resource Center Takano Masaharu September 11 1995 How the Famicom Modem was Born Nikkei Electronics in Japanese English translation by GlitterBerri Archived July 3 2012 at the Wayback Machine Donovan Tristan 2010 Replay The History of Video Games East Sussex England Yellow Ant ISBN 978 0 9565072 0 4 Mobile Games Techopedia Chikhani Riad December 31 2015 The History Of Gaming An Evolving Community TechCrunch Retrieved July 18 2020 How Warcraft 3 s modding community paved the way for League of Legends and Dota 2 PCGamesN Retrieved September 6 2020 Walbridge Michael June 12 2008 Analysis Defense of the Ancients An Underground Revolution www gamasutra com Retrieved September 7 2020 a b The history of MOBAs From mod to sensation VentureBeat September 1 2014 Retrieved September 11 2020 From Warcraft III to Heroes of the Storm Talking Art and Blizzard s Long History with Samwise Didier AusGamers com www ausgamers com Retrieved January 8 2020 Wood Austin October 25 2016 What the strange evolution of the hero shooter tells us about the genre s future PC Gamer Retrieved July 12 2021 a b McWhertor Michael April 10 2020 Call of Duty Warzone hits 50M players in first month Polygon Retrieved April 21 2020 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry PDF entertainment software association Archived from the original PDF on December 9 2015 Retrieved March 24 2015 2019 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry Entertainment Software Association May 2 2019 Archived from the original on January 20 2020 Retrieved January 9 2020 Gaudiosi John July 18 2012 New Reports Forecast Global Video Game Industry Will Reach 82 Billion By 2017 Forbes Retrieved November 27 2014 Reeves Ben How Flash Games Changed Video Game History Game Informer Retrieved April 15 2022 Wawro Alex May 6 2016 Hero Shooters Charting the re birth of a genre Gamasutra Retrieved May 6 2016 a b Rollings Andrew Ernest Adams 2003 Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design New Riders Publishing pp 290 296 Archived from the original on March 31 2017 Retrieved April 25 2018 Amstrup Johannes ersen September 15 2017 Best Modern MOBA Games LoL Dota 2 HotS amp Smite Compared Pro Gamer Reviews Retrieved October 19 2019 France Presse Agence November 5 2017 Video game warriors do battle before 40 000 fans in China INQUIRER net Retrieved July 19 2020 Webb Kevin More than 100 million people watched the League of Legends World Championship cementing its place as the most popular esport Business Insider Retrieved July 19 2020 Boudreau Ian August 26 2019 The International 2019 was Twitch s most watched Dota 2 event ever PC Gamer Retrieved July 19 2020 Meola Andrew The biggest companies sponsoring eSports teams and tournaments Business Insider Retrieved September 25 2020 Livingston Christopher December 11 2019 How battle royale changed the last decade of games and the next one PC Gamer Retrieved January 9 2020 Castronova Edward 2006 Synthetic Worlds The Business and Culture of Online Games University Of Chicago Press pp 10 291 ISBN 978 0 226 09627 8 pp 10 The ancestors of MMORPG were text based multiuser domains MUD pp 291 Indeed MUD generate perhaps the one historical connection between game based VR and the traditional program Marshall Cass September 11 2020 Why Among Us Emergency Meeting is the big social media mood Polygon Retrieved July 12 2021 Nahmias Jordan The EULA What it does how it works and what does EULA even mean nahmiaslaw Community Incident Report Second Life Archived from the original on August 20 2008 Retrieved February 12 2010 Inkblot February 29 2012 Back to Basics Getting Beyond the Drama shoryuken com Retrieved August 2 2012 permanent dead link Amy O Leary August 1 2012 In Virtual Play Sex Harassment Is All Too Real The New York Times Retrieved August 2 2012 Portnow James Extra Credits Harassment video penny arcade com Extra Credits Retrieved August 2 2012 This week we tackle the rampant bullying misogyny and hate speech that occurs within the gaming community Alt URL Archived November 13 2013 at the Wayback Machine Ubisoft has officially shut down online services for over 90 games VGC April 26 2022 Retrieved February 17 2023 Leon Hurley April 16 2015 7 online worlds that ended while people were still playing gamesradar Retrieved February 17 2023 Splitgate won t launch into 1 0 until August as 1047 Games deals with servers VentureBeat July 26 2021 Retrieved June 30 2022 Wood Austin June 5 2018 Evolve dev says 4v1 caused more problems than we ever imagined PC Gamer Retrieved June 28 2022 Juba Joe February 24 2021 Anthem 2 0 Canceled By BioWare Game Informer Retrieved June 28 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Online game amp oldid 1145746472, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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