Often presented in negative light such as addiction problems, MMORPGs are not really popular with the general public. It must be said that reports and documentaries of the genre concerning online games exist in abundance in the media landscape. Despite everything, we must not forget that these massively multiplayer titles are also vectors of meetings and social connections. Since the advent of MMOs, many players have met long-time friends or life partners during their adventures. With the broadcast of the documentary Ibelin: The Remarkable Life of a Gamerit is this magical and powerful aspect of online games that Netflix wants to highlight.
This Norwegian production directed by Benjamin Ree, with the help of Ingvil Giske and VGTV, traces the moving journey of Mats Steen. This player has managed to overcome the difficulties of his daily life thanks to his second life in Azeroth. Known as Ibelin in World of Warcraftthe young man took advantage of this vast virtual world to escape, for the duration of long gaming sessions, from his degenerative disease: Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Until his tragic death in 2014 at the age of 25, the young man forged powerful friendships thanks to Blizzard’s MMO, allowing him to enjoy a full social life despite the isolation imposed by his real physical condition.
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Norwegian gamer Mats Steen has died at the age of 25. During their mourning, his parents discovered messages left by his community on World of Warcraft.
The documentary IBELIN: THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF A GAMER, awarded at Sundance, on October 25. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/hyDqzh0Tww
— Netflix France (@NetflixFR) September 21, 2024
A production as touching as it is atypical
Ten years later, Ibelin’s virtual relatives pay tribute to him in this documentary, in which the parents of the deceased boy discover with emotion the importance of the relationships he was able to build online. After being presented at numerous festivals and even awarded at the prestigious Sundance, Benjamin Ree’s film will benefit from a global distribution thanks to Netflix, starting October 25. This inspiring story composed of archive images and scenes recreated directly from the graphics engine of World of Warcraft promises to be an unmissable emotional journey.
Beyond the joy and melancholy inherent in Mats Steen’s journey, the messages conveyed by the documentary will not fail to make us reflect on the power and nature of human relationships. Even online, showing kindness and empathy can impact the daily lives of strangers who truly need such attention. Perhaps MMORPGs have already brought you this same comfort: here is one more reason to watch this beautiful story and share it to better spread its message. It’s not all toxicity in online games!
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