Virtual Worlds Forum

A freak happening that couldn't possibly happen in the UK or US? Don't believe it. One of the negative - and not often talked about - aspects of MMO clans is the way healthy rivalry can spill over into something darker. Maybe it's the gang element with people egging each other on, or maybe it's the fact that the impersonality of playing online leads players into being more aggressive and threatening than they would be in the real world - but then if they do meet in the real world... I'm not sure whether MMO publishers have a role to play here, without exerting too much of a Big Brother influence by monitoring in-game conversations (not to mention the logistical difficulties of this). One to ponder. (via Joystiq)