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Given the immense amount of socialization involved in playing MMOGs like Everquest, the players, who share the common interest of gaming, often form real life friendships that they can carry on outside the game. From casually meeting up with an Everquest buddy who lives nearby to officially sanctioned events like the “Everquest Fan Faire,” an event that is sponsored by Sony Entertainment that gives players a place to meet each other in real life and play the game right next to each other. Thousands of people from around the world gather at these events because they give players a chance to meet, in person, their fellow guild members, group friends, and other gamers who they would have only met through the graphics of the virtual world. Attendees wear name tags displaying the name of their Everquest character as well as their real name so they can be recognized by those who are familiar with their online persona. Some gamers even dress up like their characters I order to be more easily recognized. |
