The Game Where You Belong

 Sun Flower | In Game

SmallVerse: the game where you belong. A simple statement that welcomes everyone 13 and over to the game. But does everyone really feel welcome? One of the great joys of playing online games is getting to know people from all over the world, but one thing that comes up time and time again is the question asking why there are older people on these games. This week I had the pleasure of meeting up with some OG SmallWorlds players who are currently playing SmallVerse to talk about their experiences. I wanted to learn what they loved about the games, and why they came back. I wanted to prove to the community that we’re all here for the same reasons, and age shouldn’t be a thing to divide us.

To protect the identities of these players I’ll only be offering the avatar's first name and age, and only with explicit permission.

Ozzy, age 68 – I met Ozzy on SmallWorlds, and when the game closed we remained friends on social media. Ozzy was the firrst person to tell me about the SmallWerse launch. During our interview she told me “I loved SmallWorlds because it wasn't just some dress me up and decorate my home social game. The

artist community set SmallWorlds apart from every other game, sculpting and paintings were awesome but what I really loved was playing missions.” Ozzy went into detail about the group called Mission Runners, which was a group of people that would get together regularly to play missions. Back then mission guides were less popular, so new players relied on seasoned pros to help them get their levels up. Ozzy shared that she came back for that same love of missions, and of course she was hoping to reunite with old friends. I didn’t have to ask Ozzy if she felt accepted on the game, because she answered the question before I could “A lot of people don't like telling their age because the younger players laugh when they tell them, I really don't understand the Ageism because everyone enjoys having fun.”

Josie, age 37 – “I love SmallVerse because I can hang out with friends, especially those who live far away, and we can do things together.” She mentioned that she likes playing pool, doing missions, and just chatting and being silly. Josie shared that she has real life friends she met in SmallWorlds, and so when they told her about SmallVerse she came back. “I remembered the fun we had, it was nostalgic” Josie shared that she does feel welcome on SmallVerse because it’s a game for everyone.

James, age 58 – “I’m actually reluctant to do this interview, because there’s so much ageism in this game. But what people don’t realize is that SmallWorlds was run by adults, the shareholders were older adults, and back in the OG days it was adults that were paying the money that kept the game running. Those same players that are 25-26 today and complaining that we’re too old to be here. The

truth is, they were too young to be on our game.” Jim told me about his past experience as a SmallWorlds moderator, he said he came back to the game because he remembered the impact the community had on each other, and he wanted a chance to create that same environment for the new generation.

Sun, age 39 – I met my two best friends on smallWorlds, and after it shut down we met in real life. We’ve been to Disney world, Las Vegas, and Mississippi, and now we’re all on SmallVerse together. 2/3 of us have met our real life romantic partners in the game. We see this game as a source of connection to the outside world, we understand that the people behind the screens, their feelings, their emotions. Their experiences are all real. I came back to SmallVerse because I remember a time I was in my 20’s full of drama, and pain, and looking for an outlet. I wanted to come back as an adult to be a source of encouragement for the younger generations whose shoes I’ve walked in.

I met with five other people this week who’s names I won’t share, but all of them were 30 and over. Most of them were uncomfortable sharing their ages, even saying things like “I’m 30+” in every case they mentioned that they don’t always feel belonging on the game. They mentioned coming for the creativity, the PVP games, the missions, their old friends, the chatting. They all had great reasons for being here, they all had friends around them, they were all contributing to the game with their creations, or ,nances. It makes me sad to think that these folks have lived full lives, made real connections, yet feel like they have to hide who they are from the community, when in reality they helped shape the game we all knew and loved.

The fact of the matter is that we all grow older, and the people in their 30’s and 40’s now are the same people who were in their 20’s on SmallWorlds. The same age of the community that dominates the game today, and my hope is that in another 10 years the people in their 20’s now will still feel welcome here. I want to implore people to reflect their own lives, think about why you’re here, and

what you get out of it. Let’s all be a little kinder to each other, after all, it is “the game where you belong” Thank you to everyone who took a few minutes to chat with me this past week. I loved connecting with, and learning about you. In my eyes, you do belong, and I hope you stay.