Ethics of MMOs and Self-Governance Examined

A look at the gray area between game rules and proper actions...

The Guardian offers an interesting article about some of the low points of MMO gamer virtue, and the rise of methods to help gamers police their own games.

Even in games whose selling point has been their potential for ruthless competition, such as Eve Online (in which rival corporations trade and battle across the galaxy), some events have caused gamers to ask what is beyond the pale. One example last year entailed the coordination of large numbers of mischief-makers. Calling themselves the Guiding Hand Social Club, they exacted the ruination of a particular player and the corporation she headed, Ubiqua Seraph. Spending more than a year infiltrating Ubiqua Seraph and gaining the trust of its higher members, the Guiding Hand enacted an elaborate heist that resulted in the destruction of the organisation's limited edition flagship and the looting of its considerable funds. The damage translated to thousands of real pounds and years of effort. (The Guiding Hand leader's announcement and discussion thread is at http://tinyurl.com/8jglz.)

Check out the state of MMO ethics and gamer autonomy at The Guardian.