Editor's Note: This article is posted by a reader of Edge and does not necesarily reflect the opinions of Edge's editorial team.

------------------------------------------------------------------

"Religion is the opiate of the masses", a phrase which has caused a great deal of controversy in the past and I'm sure it still does today, but either way it was one of Karl Marx's most famous quotes. The idea be hind this statement is that religion was (to Marx) a way in which the state could quell potential class wars, riots or even possible revolutions by converting "the people" or "the masses" to the dominant ideology of the time. It appears that Marx saw religion as a dream inducer, something to make the people see a fantasy world, rather than the troubles of the real one.

It appears to me that as we travel further into this new economic crisis that there is a new opiate for the masses, one in a considerably different guise than organised Religion. After reading "game analysts sound off on games market"and especially a quote by Michael Pachter, it dawned on me that gaming could be placed into Marx's theory without a great deal of trouble. It was this comment which I believe highlights my point exactly; "I think that the market will learn to appreciate that World of Warcraft is like crack cocaine, and probably benefits from a recession." The affable analyst went on to deadpan that, "unemployed subscribers can play 100 hours a week--a phenomenal value." Whether or not Pachter was being deadly serious, or just trying inject a little bit of humour into a dire situation, he has a point. If you get fired from your job and are having little luck finding a new one, what are you going to do? I'm not suggesting the first thing unemployed people do is buy World of Warcraft or the latest game, but what do most serious gamers do to escape the troubles of the real world? They play games - well I know I do anyway.

So what I'm i trying to say? Well largley it is that gaming has the opiate effect which Marx described all those years ago. Gaming is still selling well in-spite of publisher/developer stocks falling and that shows it's importance even in tough times. If financial troubles are as bad as people say what are you going to spend your money on? A few beers which will last the evening, a DVD which'll last you a few hours (if you re-watch it) or a game, which could potentially keep you going for weeks?