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218 Mizuko Ito and Matteo Bittantiso, leaving that is kind of hard. And the only reason I pretty much stayed was for thepeople.Ryukossei, a nineteen-year-old Asian-American in Illinois who played thegame for more than two years, also commented on the strong bonds formedwithin the game:Yeah, especially because we had Vent on twenty-four/seven, every time we logged onand stuff. We kind of got attached, you might say. And when someone quit, it wouldbe really hard for them. I mean, you hung out with them. It’s like a family pretty much.I mean, you’re there with them the whole day and stuff like that.Scott pointed out that the people make all the frustrations of the game worthwhilewhen he described an early experience in the game:You have to go down there [to a dragon] and it takes a long time to get there, and wehad like—I mean, it was the most frustrating thing we ever did. But afterwards we justcouldn’t help but laugh, ’cause it was this stupid dragon that killed us all, and I mean,at least five times. . . . And we were running out of time because each of us had beenrisen once at least, and already died, and so our timers were running out. And oh, it wasjust the quintessential just, us-against-the-world type of thing.Sometimes, players spend more time with their friends within the gamethan they do with their friends (or even families!) outside the game. Theycheck the websites and forums during their breaks at school to keep updatedon their friends’ activities and eagerly log in to the game as soon as they gethome. Players often sacrifice sleep, staying up long into the night to haveanother adventure with their friends. The communities and relationshipsforged within the game extend beyond its boundaries into websites, forums,guides, instant messenger programs, emails, and even phone calls or textmessages. Linkshells, especially endgame linkshells, often have dedicatedwebsites where their members chat about in-game adventures, their homework,personal problems, or just joke around. Sites such as KillingIfrit.comand ffxi.allakhazam.com allow players to chat with one another beyond thebounds of the linkshell or their server. Forums on these sites are filled withplayers asking questions about crafts or quests, debating the best gear or roleof different jobs, proudly telling of their most recent accomplishments, ortalking about the latest drama between players or linkshells. The websites andforums become extensions of the game by providing a large community ofsupport, advice, and socializing that players often rely on and enjoy.Final Fantasy XI players are embedded in a rich social atmosphere whererelationships and communities are forged and fostered. It is the social componentsof the game that often motivate players to log in and support theirsuccess. The extended communities that reach beyond the game into websites,forums, instant messenger programs, and phone calls help strengthenthese relationships and influence players’ experiences and success within thegame. The players often play for the people.