Advertisement

The Daily Grind: How young is too young for MMOs?

One of the interesting things we're hearing more and more (and as illuminated by yesterday's poll) is that the number of MMO families is on the climb. I personally am part of an MMO family, and know several others who are the same. We've all got children of varying ages, and our involvement ranges from over-the-shoulder to completely hands-off. Most of us would agree that it's a lot of fun to play MMOs with our kids, ranging from raiding alongside them to sitting at the same machine and playing mini-games together. To me, playing MMOs with your kids can reinforce everything from basic typing skills to the intricacies of learning to work with others despite your differences.

With the recent articles on the subject of family gaming, and the rise of more family-oriented gamer sites, we thought we'd ask this morning: How young do you think is too young to get involved in MMOs? Do you think it's a great way to bond with your kids, playing in a common game world together? Do you feel that MMOs and virtual worlds aren't the place for the very young - unless it's in a more controlled environment like FusionFall or Webkinz? Are you part of a gamer family? If so, how early were you/your children playing MMOs? What do you think recommends MMOs as entertainment for kids over regular gaming?