Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG) are a massively popular genre in video games and have been enjoyed since the early ’90s. MMORPG typically entail a vast, detailed online world in which players take on the role of a character with a specific skill set and embark on quests within an overarching storyline.
A new life
A well-received Japanese manga-turned-anime, Log Horizon, covers the events that transpire when 30,000 Japanese citizens are mysteriously sucked into the game, Elder Tales. The players are unaware of how they got stuck in the game and have no obvious way to escape. Players were overcome with panic when they couldn’t log out.
A veteran player, Shiroe, joins forces with his in-game friends to bring order and leadership to their town of Akihabara. He convened meetings with other game leaders to figure out how the rules of the game apply to their new situation, especially grappling with the reality of what would happen if they die in the game.
Which life would they choose?
They have to keep on with game quests or risk chaos ensuing. This makes it difficult to focus on finding ways to get back to their previous lives, and some start to come to terms with the idea that their existence in the game is permanent. To some this possibility is distressing, others find it appealing.
