Well, let's take a look at the stunning success of World of Warcraft. This game is so huge it's difficult to imagine its ever ending, yet it's only been around four years. With this 800-pound gorilla in the room, is it fair to expect other MMOs to achieve the same level of success? In terms of sheer numbers alone, it's unlikely. According to this chart, WoW holds 62.2% of all MMO subscriptions, though it doesn't seem to specify if these numbers reflect a worldwide theater. Does any future game need to hold these numbers to be successful? Certainly not. Does it need to emulate WoW's gameplay? That would be fighting a losing battle against an already entrenched opponent. Should it bother competing with WoW at all, then? That might be the best way to go. World of Warcraft gives players of that style of gameplay enough to keep them satisfied, and players who want something else need to go somewhere, after all.

An important question here might be: Does online play need to be against or with others? Myself, I fall into the category of people who like to play not with or against, but alongside other people. While I'm focused on my goal, I enjoy seeing other players similarly engaged, or running about getting things done, or even just goofing around with friends. It makes the game world feel that much more alive in ways that not even the most sophisticated AI can mimic. I may never actually talk with other players, much less adventure with them, but I like having them there to season the experience.

At this point, it seems clear that those gamers who already enjoy online play will expect it in future games, and young gamers will grow up with such connectivity in place as a matter of course. The traditional model of single-player, offline play will probably never completely go away, and of course it's possible to enjoy a cloistered experience even with online games. It all seems inevitable, so we might want to start thinking of new applications for an always-on audience.

One such application I've not seen yet is the gaming equivalent of the webcam phenomenon, where anyone is permitted to watch someone play their game. This could work invisibly, with the player beginning by marking his session as open to viewing or closed, and if open, then further open to comments from the audience, or not.

The potential for large audiences is high, and the model is already in place -- home viewers already participate in get-togethers where a group of people gather to see the latest sports event, and even use Pay-Per-View for specialized sports. There is also an educational aspect for people who are curious about new ways to play a game, or to learn tips and tricks from established masters of the form. With a form of media delivery that never sleeps, we're bound to see this occur sooner or later. If the future of gaming is, in fact, online, then so is the future of spectation. And at least you won't have to brave inclement weather to cheer your favorites on.