By Darren Hewer on March 6th, 2008 in Movies

Second Skin takes an intimate look at computer gamers whose lives have been transformed by the emerging genre of Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs). World of Warcraft, Second Life, and Everquest allow millions of users to simultaneously interact in virtual spaces. Second Skin introduces us to couples who have fallen in love without meeting, disabled players who have found new purpose, addicts, Chinese gold-farming sweatshop workers, wealthy online entrepreneurs and legendary guild leaders - all living in a world that doesn’t quite exist. (Official Second Skin movie website)

Although people have always sought to escape from reality through books, theater, movies, and other media, the new crop of MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) seem to take this sort of escape from real life to new levels. Previously on Talk we discussed how Second Life literally allows you to create a new persona and live out your virtual life online, claiming its goal is to make Second Life "better than real life".

What is your opinion of the MMORPG phenomenon? And why do you think so many people (World of Warcraft alone has over 10 million subscribers) find such games so appealing?