The Modern Living Room

Newport News, Virginia, circa 1993. Two brothers are huddled around a flickering television screen, controllers in hand, smashing buttons and hurling insults at each other. Their dad walked into the room.

“What are you two up to?” he asked.

“We’re halfway through the game, Dad,” Brandt said.

“You’re distracting me, get out!” complained Ryan.

Their dad, unable to connect with his sons, headed off to his office to do more work. The game continued with renewed fervor.

“He shoots he scores!” yells Ryan.

“Stop using the wraparound trick, idiot!” scowls Brandt.

A fight ensued. In the game. Brandt managed to take Ryan down in an uncharacteristically graceful fight, quieting the home crowd and swinging the momentum in his favor. Then, Ryan started taking runs at Brandt’s top players. In the third period, Ryan finally managed to injure one of Brandt’s key players, and came out the winner by one goal.

“That’s bullcrap!” pleaded a frustrated Brandt. He flung his SNES controller at the television, nearly breaking it.

The game was NHLPA Hockey ’93 by EA Sports. It was the second of a dynasty of hockey games that reigns to this day. Back then, it was a sacred event that took place nearly every day. The two brothers would do battle in the living room, the winner gaining bragging rights for the rest of the evening after the post-school NHL showdown.

Years later, Brandt went off to college and Ryan was still at home. After NHL ’99, the grandest of living room duels could no longer take place. The two brothers slowly drifted apart, acquiring lives of their own, only talking occasionally on the phone or during the summer when neither was at school.

Marlborough, MA and Denver, CO, circa 2009. Two brothers are lounging in front of their own razor-sharp television screens, controllers in hand, smashing buttons and hurling insults at each other through headsets. Their dad sauntered online.

“What are you two up to?” he asked.

“We’re halfway through a game, Dad,” Brandt said.

“Let’s all play on the same team after this one,” said Ryan.

Their dad, able to connect with his sons, headed off to play a short game against the computer before joining. The game continued with renewed fervor.

“He shoots he scores!” yells Ryan.

“Stop using the blue-line-opposite-corner trick, idiot!” scowls Brandt.

A fight ensued. In the game. Brandt managed to take Ryan down in a characteristically graceful fight, quieting the home crowd and swinging the momentum in his favor. Then, Ryan started taking runs at Brandt’s top players. In the third period, Ryan still unable to injure one of Brandt’s key players, Brandt came out the winner by one goal.

“That’s bullcrap!” pleaded a frustrated Ryan. He flung his Xbox 360 controller on the couch, afraid of breaking his plasma screen television.

Their dad joined them against another family for the last games of the night. They lost, but they played together.

The game was NHL ’09 by EA Sports. It is the latest of a dynasty of hockey games that has reigned since the early ’90s. Now, as it was back then, it is a sacred event that takes place nearly every week. The two brothers do battle in their own living rooms, sometimes joined by their dad from Louisville, Kentucky, the winners gaining bragging rights for the rest of the week after the post-work NHL showdown.

Why am I talking about a sports game on a massively multiplayer game blog? I have an excuse! Not only is it a great example to make my point, but EA Sports actually marketed NHL ’09 as the first console sports MMO. EA Sports took many hints from modern MMOs, introducing player persistence, character progression, and many other MMO-like qualities to their latest hockey game.

More importantly, NHL ’09, like all MMOs, serves as the modern living room. We may not always be physically in the same room, but we can be virtually in the same room. Only a few years ago, it was impossible to get together and play a video game with my brother or family members outside of the holidays. Today, we can play together any time we’re all off work.

MMOs, unlike the offline games of the past, can bring families closer together. Welcome to the new world. Welcome to the virtual world.