The End of the World: Scenario One, Video Gaming Addiction

Video games have been a part of society for more then 20 years. Over time they have become more involved, more intriguing, and more time consuming as computing power and the desire for escape have increased.

One of the more popular and time consuming genres of gaming is a MMORPG, or massive multi-player on-line role playing game. During the game play, a person will spend many hours advancing their character through the computer generated world, with other gamers, to eventually get the best gear, most money, and most prestige they can. At this point, the game company does what is known as an expansion, which introduces more gear, more challenges, and more time consuming duties into the game, creating a never ending circle.

How, you might ask, does this bring about the end of the world? Glad you asked. Gaming becomes such an addiction in the near future, as people play to escape the loss of their job, or their home, that they begin to isolate themselves in their computer generated world. Outside their fantasy world, real life relationships begin to crumble, parks become less used, shopping is down, and the economy begins to follow down even more.

A few months later, more people join this fantasy world, as the real world becomes sparse and less populated, products aren't produced because nobody is buying books, movies, clothes, boating, camping, or outdoor supplies. At this point, the majority of people can only interact via on-line means, they have forgotten how to socially interact in a real world setting.

A few months later health decline begins to show, as sores appear on their bottoms and backs from sitting constantly, blood clots, high cholesterol, and heart conditions. Moving from the chair, to the bathroom, to the fridge, to the bed is the extent of movement people have. Carpal tunnel has set in on the majority of the people in the world. Yards are overgrown, farms are abandoned, and restaurants and bars are closing due to lack of business. Chips, frozen pizzas and quick foods are all that is being produced, and the supply is going down as more and more people revert to home hermits.

A year later, the streets are empty, the smell in residential areas is atrocious as people have quit bathing, since the need to be presentable is no longer necessary. The power grid and communications begins to fail, as people have quit showing up even for those vital jobs. Riots begin as people fight over Internet and electricity hot spots, resulting in mass heart attacks as their bodies begin to move for the first time in a year. Electricity and Internet is controlled by a new ruling elite class, however they are now rulers of a nation of obese, unwashed masses. They are a new class of zombie, driven by the mindless need to be on-line and virtual.

Two years later, there is no power available, the remaining people are struggling to remember skills long since forgotten, as survival becomes the way of life.

Eventually small pockets of humanity begin to re-organize into clans, fighting for food, water, and other supplies that are necessary to preserve life. Total destruction of the world is narrowly averted, but there will be no more rise of gaming for another 50 years, at which time it will be heavily regulated, to reduce the chance of another world ending event.