MMO Game Feature Concept: Pogo.com Like Game Parlor In A MMORPG

Hi All,

Right now game publishers via their game development firms for a massively multiplayer online game (MMOG). Are always evolving their game features and design policy for any particular game of interest.

Lately now that there is a plethora of MMO game titles out in the western marketplace. They've already reached capacity of targeting the traditional demographic of male gamers. Be they teenage, young adult, and now thirty somethings as the main consumer base for these online games.

Now they're looking for the casual gamer who is either a new comer (noob) to the hobby. Or is a pre-existing gamer that can not quantify pouring 20+ plus hours a week into this past-time. (which has traditionally in the late 20th century been TV weekly viewing time) Besides the casual gamer demographic, the game industry wants to further include women and senior citizens as auxiliary demographics to obtain.

Ok, now that I've set up the concept so to say. If game development firms of a MMO goes to the extent in their game world design. To include the depth of arcade java parlor games as seen in Pogo.com (owned by game publisher Electronic Arts). Where for example in Star Wars Galaxies or Ever Quest 2 (published MMORPG's by Sony Online Entertainment / SOE) in a cantina / tavern (lodge) inside the game world. That gamers can enter and participate perhaps in a co-branded portal like Pogo with the game setting maintained. That would open up interest to causal gamers, women, and senior citizens into the MMO hobby as a demograhic group. Especially with the present advent of "Advergaming", which is a mini-game that is branded by a advertiser. So consider a solitaire game with the Pepsi logo and such.

Typically to date in a MMO game world the SWG cantina or EQ2 Travern are traditional ghost locations. Meaning only npc's (non-player characters) for quests are inhabiting them for a game play experience. SWG did in the past before I gave up on that MMO have a text-based roulette game in a hotel lobby of the major npc cities.

That has been the typical lack of vision in bringing to life such real life historical focal points of a community. But, in a MMO game world these locales are still neglected as described above. My suggestion is to enliven these landmarks in a npc or player city. So that more demographic based consumers can enjoy the MMO past-time. Which has always been referred to as a game. That in my opinion is a misnomer, it is more so a virtual social community simulator.