Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Second Life affair grounds for real-life divorce]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/16/second-life-affair-grounds-for-real-life-divorce/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/16/second-life-affair-grounds-for-real-life-divorce/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/16/second-life-affair-grounds-for-real-life-divorce/#commentsFiled under: ,


Amy Taylor and David Pollard, a British couple who, until recently, had spent three years together in marital bliss, are both avid Second Life players. So avid, in fact, that their nuptials were delivered in the game's virtual world in addition to, you know, the real one. Unfortunately, digi-Amy caught digi-David in a compromising position with a digi-prostitute shortly after the wedding, leading these two fully grown adults to file for an untimely digi-divorce. However, they remained married in real life, which likely led to a few awkward conversations over brunch.

Digi-David seemed to prove his fidelity by passing a "honeytrap" test later ordered by digi-Amy, in which a buxom digi-Private Eye attempted, and ultimately failed, to seduce his avatar. Unfortunately, digi-Amy recently walked in on digi-David and another avatar, who were conversing with "genuine affection". In response, real-life-Amy filed for real-life-divorce from real-life-David.

This report has been fairly sensationalied by the mainstream media over the past few days -- some outlets state that Taylor's divorce lawyer had already seen a Second Life-related seperation earlier that week, while some mention that Taylor has found love once again, this time in World of Warcraft. Regardless of the veracity of these questionable accounts, the news of couple's split due to online infidelity seems to be as true as it is infinitely depressing.

JoystiqSecond Life affair grounds for real-life divorce originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>divorcePCsecond-lifeSun, 16 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Game aims to help kids cope with divorce]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/15/game-aims-to-help-kids-cope-with-divorce/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/15/game-aims-to-help-kids-cope-with-divorce/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/15/game-aims-to-help-kids-cope-with-divorce/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When parents are going through a divorce, children usually want to focus on something else -- anything else -- rather than watching the painful process of a marriage breaking apart. They might even want to focus on Earthquake in Zipland, a simple adventure game designed by a team of psychologists to help nine to 12 year olds deal with the complex emotions surrounding a crumbling marriage.

We can appreciate the desire to help children through interactive entertainment, but the ham-handed allegory the game presents sounds like it could use some work. As the game's web site puts it, Zipland is "a small paradise island comprised of two parts held together by a zipper, which represents the marriage of the parents (the King and Queen). Suddenly an earthquake rips the island into two, leaving the king and the queen on separate islands. Moose, the hero, sets out on a quest to build a new zipper and try to re-combine the two islands so that life can go on as before (which of course he can't)." Talk about depressing.

We doubt that most children want or need to be reminded of the harsh reality of divorce through a game. These children would probably be served just as well by any engaging game that provides a distracting escape from the real world. It takes time to come to terms with the painful circumstances surrounding a parental divorce, and forcing them to confront these circumstances through a game might do as much harm as good.

JoystiqGame aims to help kids cope with divorce originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>divorcegamepsychologyseriousziplandThu, 15 Mar 2007 14:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Divorce, 360 style]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/31/divorce-360-style/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/31/divorce-360-style/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/31/divorce-360-style/#commentsFiled under:

What do you do when your scumbag ex-husband runs off with the nice computer, the big screen TV and, consequently, your children's love? You buy an Xbox 360 for bait and start the emotional manipulation. Your kids might be psychologically scarred by divorce, but they'll be entertained. Might help snag a new guy too.

[Via GamerScoreBlog]

JoystiqDivorce, 360 style originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>divorcemomsvideoyahooMon, 31 Jul 2006 13:00:00 EST