Betrayed

I love betrayals. They add such an element to games, a dimension of play that you just don't get by being nice to everyone all the time. But some betrayals are just priceless: comme ça

The reason I bring this up is 1) because that video is awesome and 2) I've been thinking about betrayal in terms of multiplayer games and how current game systems could be extended. It strikes me that there really aren't any games that leverage the fun and extensibility that could come from a properly developed betrayal framework. Multiplayer games long ago grasped the concept of team play. Many FPS and other styles of games have grasped the concept of betrayals as well, insofar as you can intentionally or otherwise betray a team member. However, this is in the form of A betrays B, B verbally abuses A, A loses 1 or 2 points and that's it.

What would be really intresting is a game system with a team dynamic that not only allowed betrayals, but provided a framework where betrayal could become just as valid a means of success as team-work. God knows it's used all the time in the real-world, why not in game.

The problem as I see it is that for the vast majority of online games, teams are fixed at game commencement and remain throughout the duration of the round. I know there exist quite a few RTS games that actually employ quite invloved systems of alliances (and betrayals as well) and I think this is great. What I would really like to see is this idea expand out of the strategy genre into other games, particularly MMORPGS and FPSs. Just because the game might not involve managing armies and an economy doesn't mean it has no strategy, and certainly doesn't mean that alliances should play no part.