When a massive earth quake and resulting tsunami hit Japan in March of 2011, it sent the global community into a panic. Worries of mass death, food shortages, and nuclear meltdowns dominated the headlines. One group affected by the disaster that we didn't hear from was the online gaming community on Final Fantasy 11 and Final Fantasy 14. Both games made by SE, run from servers located in Japan. During the first two weeks of the catastrophe, Square Enix was forced to shut them down. This was an attempt to conserve power, as the fate of several power plants was at best uncertain. As a result, one of the most hard core gaming communities was left completely in the dark. With players all over Japan, North and South America, Europe, and other remote areas, the disaster in Japan directly affected the entire world. (of gaming) As the situation progressed, the Japanese government issued guidelines for companies and households about what kind of power consumption would be acceptable. In an act of dedication similar to the heros from their epic story lines, SE found that by turning off the air conditioning in the main corporate building and decreasing the lighting by 50%, they could get the servers running and still meet the power regulations. Despite being front and center in one of the biggest disasters of our time, this infamous online host was able to provide an almost uninterrupted experience. If there was ever a class on the history of gaming, this incredible response to dire circumstances would undoubtedly be a topic of study for years to come.
0 comments:
Post a Comment