The New York Times on Warcraft's Success

I think everyone who plays understands that World of Warcraft is a hugely popular game, played by millions across the globe. Well, today the New York Times ponders the game's immense success and international appeal. What World of Warcraft has meant to the MMO genre is summarized succinctly, I think, in this statement by the Times:

There were massively-multiplayer games before World of Warcraft, just as there were MP3 players before Apple's iPod. Like the iPod, World of Warcraft has essentially taken over and redefined an entire product category.

Joystiq also points out something interesting in the tone of the article – namely, that it does not immediately assume games and gaming are negative things. Instead, it presents an open minded look at gaming as a hobby.

[Thanks, Dave]