I used to make MMOs and we'd often question why we were doing it when we'd read stories about people's relationships falling apart, kids flunking out of school, or other really negative things that happened when people played too much and didn't keep a handle on their life.

Then one day we got a letter. It was from a man who suffered a host of physical ailments, including quadriplegia, and could barely leave his bed, nevermind his house. In his letter, he wanted to thank us for making our game. He made friends, lead a successful guild, and could feel powerful and accomplishment in a way he couldn't in real life.

The stories would repeat themselves over the years, too... I know at least one very successful HN denizen met his now-wife in our game. Families would stay in touch and play together, groups of people who didn't know each other would raise money to help guildmates who needed surgery or had fallen on hard times and had trouble making ends meet, and so on.

It's for those people that I make games. (Or at least that's what I tell myself when I'm having moments of doubt and questioning why I spend so much time pushing bits.)