Is it any surprise that our MMO circles have seemingly tightened? The more self-reliant we are in these games, the less we need others. That's not to say some games aren't carrying elements of interdependence. Camelot Unchained will have items be crafted, so you had better get friendly with the other classes. However, CU is a PvP-centered game, so it's unlikely there will be a huge open world where this takes place. The Elder Scrolls Online will let players distribute crafting points so as to either master two or spread points across five disciplines. This system looks to let a few players be masters in their chosen profession, hopefully leading to those crafters mattering when it comes to supply of high-level crafted items. Yet with all five paths accessible to players, depending on (that word again) choice, this system goes only partway toward creating an interdependent system. Add in some people's issues with the games that tweak or throw out traditional trinity gameplay, and it's easy to understand why some feel a disconnection.
The new player-centered systems also seem to leave the door more open to microtransactions, because everything becomes about the individual experience. Customization was possible in the past (the good dyes sold for a pretty sum in older games, and guild emblems on shields and the like were a big deal), but all of this was secondary. Now it's a touted, promoted feature and isn't always for in-game currency. Getting people to buy requires they be emotionally invested on some level with what their characters look like, what's in their homes, and other indicators of personality and status. It's marketed as choice, but it's an encouraged egocentrism.
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Many of the earlier MMOs had built-in downtime for multiple reasons. It kept people playing longer. Technological limitations. It made the world feel larger. But for whatever reasons existed, it helped generate a sense of community that is somewhat lost in today's “player choice” driven games. I remember time spent dedicated to crafting during which my guildmates and I spent time socializing via chat and voice. We'd also talk to those who came to craft at the hub as well. Downtime bores a lot of people though, so it has been significantly reduced over time. I think systems like dungeon finders are beneficial, even with the tradeoff, but I suppose it comes down to the fact each player has his or her own vision of what the right balance should look like. That is not to say that some of today's games aren't fun or entertaining to play through. But when you create systems that are fully contained, or fully contained between the player and the cash shop, you take away something else.
The abovementioned downtime is necessary to note because many people bonded in downtime, or in learning the systems that caused many to be valuable to one another. If only one class has a certain spell or if another class can give players a certain buff that makes a quest doable, that makes it important not just to interact with one another, but to even develop relationships with your fellow players. That's one difference between playing in the same place together and playing together.
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Yes, many of the players that have come to MMOs in the last 5-8 years have broadened the player base and, coupled with an aging average age for MMO players, led to some changes. This is a story many of us that have been around a while have heard a million times. Naturally, marketers have followed and the shift away from subscriptions has arguably devalued social and community importance. It's all about the player now, inside the bubble of self-importance and choice.
That said, as I have argued before in this space, it's also up to the players to create and invest in the community if they want to see things be better. Get out there and talk to someone and even ask for help, offer help, buff the next ten people who pass you. It's not the return of full-fledged interdependence, but it can bring some light to the day.
Christina Gonzalez / Christina is a freelancer and contributor to MMORPG.com, where she writes the community-focused Social Hub column. You will also find her contributions at RTSGuru. Follow her on Twitter: @c_gonzalez
