14 DAY TRIAL // Online games are starting to become one of the most popular types of entertainment out there. We all play or have played various online titles like MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) in order to relax and enjoy ourselves, but it seems that some people become very addicted to them and start neglecting real-life tasks in favor of the virtual ones.
This trend was observed by various employers across the United States, which have revealed that companies are now starting to dislike job applicants who reveal that they play various online games, especially World of Warcraft, one of the most popular MMORPGs out there, with over 11,5 million subscribers every month. They reveal that, although the game does teach you leadership skills, it becomes very distractive and, as such, people can't really focus on their jobs.
But things aren't the same with every company, as the global executive in charge of games and entertainment at IBM, David Laux, has revealed that his company actually likes WoW players because of their organized lifestyle and leadership skills. He says that almost any game can have a positive impact on people and that other companies need to embrace their gaming employees but, at the same time, have them draw a line between their virtual and real-life duties.
“We have found across the board, if you look at different categories of games, they all have the ability to develop unique skills. That's from the casual games which improve memorization and the ability to discern details, to console games and shooter games that develop rapid decision making and to role playing games like the World of Warcraft that are very unique in producing leadership skills. [World of Warcraft] produces tremendous leadership skills among players. It teaches you how to evaluate risk, build teams for specific tasks and it also teaches individuals not to over react if they are not selected for a specific task.”
So it seems that WoW players mustn't delete the leadership skills acquired in the game from their resumes just yet, as companies like IBM will certainly find that aspect very attractive. This doesn't change the fact that WoW or any other online game players must learn to limit themselves and not become addicted to their virtual world.