MSNBC Article: Games Can Benefit Disabled Players

Anti-video game activists such as Jack Thompson always seem to find a way to put a negative spin on the hobby, but MSNBC Games Editor Kristin Kalning published an article today showing many disabled players find gaming is a "healthy escape." She asked readers to discuss how games have helped them contend with disabilities, and she got some interesting MMO-related responses. The benefits spanned numerous topics, from social contact to improved hand-eye coordination,

Michael Hicks, of Quinlan, Texas, had a stroke when he was 38. While he's in a wheelchair most of the time now, he said EverQuest has helped him immensely. "Social activity, the ability to walk and run as my valiant knight character and even the freedom to ride my mighty white horse over a virtual world again takes on such new meaning," he said.

Another reader's mother played Ultima Online for the last 10 years of her life. "She passed away last year at the age of 73 and often said, 'with my computer, I will never be lonely again,' " the reader wrote.

So what are your thoughts on the topic?

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EQ for the disabled
# Apr 17 2009 at 4:52 AM Rating: Decent
I agree as a matter of fact my mothers husband is a parapalegic and confined to his bed at the VA hospital in Temple Tx. We got him a laptop for Christmas and he is learning and i am trying to get him to play EQ . I think it would keep him entertained and stimulate his mind I know it has to be tough for a 47 year old man to have been confined to a bed for the last few years and to know there is almost no chance he will ever again be out of the hospital. I think EQ would be a blessing to his life.
Any came can be good or bad its how you play them.
# Apr 16 2009 at 8:23 AM Rating: Decent
I play a Necro and its an evil race:) But that dont make me evil and I help people out all the time. I been playing 7 yrs and still love the game I work and I also go out with friends so I do have fun outside of games been a gamer all my life played all board games before I found computers and Muds then EQ. I have friends who I have met on EQ. One had a brain injury and we played every day till he passed away I was so sad to loss him he could tell you anything about the game and all he wanted was to get his toon to lvl 75 before he passed away so we did get to lvl 75 (at the time its was the highest lvl you could go) and 2 weeks later he passed away:( But we had fun everyday for 3 years. A guy who was in Irag got wounded was in bed and could not walk we became friends he had a ranger toon because he was a ranger in the army. He like my necro so much he made one and we started to play everyday for 9 months he was able to walk now and then run in real life so he went back to Irag and sad to say he was killed in action 2 months after he went back:( What I am saying is both said EQ kelp there spites up to live life when they were in wheel chairs and only thing they could do was play a game called EQ they are both heroes in my book I am still meeting people with stories like mine and I will always remember them. They are heroes to me. And games are great and help people out to live when life may not seem worth living they can overcome that feeling and help others in the same shape. Thank you for reading:)

Gomatt 83 necro RL I am 47
Not All Games are Bad...
# Apr 15 2009 at 7:50 PM Rating: Default


There are still alot of folks still thinking games are bad... especially the really old generations. I like this story coz i have a cousin who has a disability (couldn't talk and hear but great on sign language) we played back to back whenever I am free from work and he just types and can do multiple accounts switching 4 characters. And yes he is a programmer on a respectable software company after he graduated college.
Whew!
# Apr 15 2009 at 5:01 PM Rating: Good
Good thing I used my valiant pally as an example. No telling what the gaming critics would have accused us of doing if I'd mentioned my iksar necro instead in the article! /evil grin

Oh well. I really don't like critics. Especially the ones that abuse frost bunnies.


-Michael Hicks
"Teaymx Noblenature"


Edited, Apr 15th 2009 9:16pm by Teaym
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