The 9-5 of MMOs

Gaming Steve has an interesting piece up about how the endgame of World of Warcraft can be more like work than, well, work. With forty-man raids and guild rules that include a 90-day probationary period and mandatory attendance, the boundaries between work and pleasure really do start to blur.

This isn't unique to WoW, though; "uberguilds" have cropped up to take advantage of the most hardcore features of many MMOs, some even spanning different games. Many teams in other game genres, such as FPS clans, also have strict membership conditions, requiring members to put in regular hours or else get the boot.

However, WoW isn't a competition game; being in the best guild, or wearing the best armour, isn't going to net you any tournament prizes. Perhaps WoW should be introduced to competitive arenas such as MLG and CPL? Hardcore competitive gamers may look down their noses at MMOs, but with some endgame guild members putting in enough work to rival the most dedicated FPS player, they may be surprised at their potential.