Online gamers keep it local, says new study

MSNBC writes:

Massively multiplayer games can be a global melting pot. Hop into "World of Warcraft" or "Guild Wars" and your North American warrior can rub shoulders with an Australian healer.

But more often than not, online gamers are more apt to hang out with people in their neighborhoods than people on the next continent, says a new study. The analysis, which tracked the playing habits of 7,000 people in Sony Online’s "EveryQuest II," says gamers game with people they know: friends, friends of friends and family.