The Remarkable Life of Ibelin Has Changed My View on Games and Players

I’m not one to watch TV or films often; I tend to be rather picky about what I want to spend my time watching. But every once in a while, there is something I feel an urge to sit down and really watch and absorb. Recently, that was the Netflix documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin.

I knew going in that it would be a hard watch at times, but what I didn’t expect was to be so moved by one young man’s adventures in Azeroth and, more importantly, the impact he had on the world outside of it. To put it plainly, it’s changed me, and I think for the better.

A Young Man’s Story

First, let’s have a little background on what I’m talking about. Recently, Netflix released a documentary, The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, which told the story of Mats Steen, a young man who suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Because of his condition, he spent most of his life isolated, and as he got older, he became increasingly confined to his home. Despite his limitations, he proved to have a massive impact on many people’s lives, thanks to a little-known game called World of Warcraft.

Through Ibelin, his online avatar, Mats made friends and affected people’s lives in a major way, helping people overcome their struggles, become better people, and he was generally a brilliant human being. Flawed in some ways, yes, but nonetheless brilliant.

It is a hard watch, but one I recommend wholeheartedly. Hearing from his parents about his struggles, contrasted with the way he uplifted people around him, is an emotional rollercoaster, but one anyone into gaming should see. One particular highlight for me was about a mother and son, who due to Mats’ Autism, struggled with connecting to anyone, including his mum. Thanks to Idelin, he learned to connect, and it was an equally heartwarming and wrecking tale to hear, especially since I myself am Autistic. Let’s say, in some ways, it hit close to home.

That’s just one of the tales you’ll hear, with the others being equally emotional, and it shows his character and compassion, which are nothing short of inspirational. The fact it is beautifully presented with great interviews and machinima-style animations using his and his friend’s character models in animations makes it all the more fitting for a tale like this.

This is all to say, it was a great watch, albeit a heavy one, and it’s important you all know who I’m talking about and why I am rambling on about this documentary. In truth, I expected to simply watch and appreciate the tale of a young man using a game I loved to connect with people. But it turned out to affect me more than I thought.

How It Moved Me

At the time of writing, it’s been about two weeks since me and my girlfriend watched the doc. Some tears were shed, a few moments of quiet contemplation passed, and a visit to his in-game headstone in Elwynn Forest was made. I expected it to stick with me for a bit; after all, it’s one of my favorite games, and it was a very emotional story about someone’s struggles and the good they did in their short time alive.

What I didn’t expect was it to change how I view and play the game.

Full disclosure: I am guilty of getting angry at the game. Plenty of moments of cussing and anger as I fail to time a dungeon. I am human after all, and we aren’t perfect. But I’ve noticed that has happened a lot less in recent memory. Sure, I might still sigh or get frustrated, but I never did, and I continue to never type out my rage and take it out on someone.

It can be easy to just stew in anger or not offer advice or help in those moments, but I have found myself instead channeling that into more positive means. Perhaps that is a simple reassurance when we wipe multiple times on a boss, or it’s pointing out a mechanic to someone confused. It might not always be much, but it’s better than the alternative.

That has happened more in the last few sessions I’ve had in WoW, and it made me realize that I had, at times, become a bit jaded. Where in my younger years I would extend a hand, I instead chose to keep it close. Now, some of that is introversion since I’m not always the most talkative person at the best of times, but it also was a little bit of cynicism, and it affected how I saw the game.

That was until I saw Ibelin’s story, and to put it simply, I thought to myself, “If someone who is suffering that much can still be a human and a friend, even a little bit, to these people he has never met, the least I can do is be a better player, right?”

So that’s what I’ve tried to do.

Since then, I have found myself taking a moment to think, “What about the person on the other end of the character?” Maybe they have had a bad day and aren’t fully focused, or perhaps they are newer and need a pointer or two. So when I can and feel it’s right, I take that moment to talk or be a better player; I would like to think Mats and Ibelin have something to do with that.

I say this because I think it is a prime example to follow, and players, not just in WoW, should take after Ibelin, and try to extend that kind of friendship or be a better player rather than be part of the problem. I also understand, much like I said before, that we are human, and we aren’t always at our best or do our best, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying when we can. I certainly know his story has made me want to do better.

Games Are Important

Ibelin_Forest_Tombstone — Screenshot by Bonus Action

I know that my example in this feature may be a niche one. It’s one game and a story about one player, but the more I thought about his story and what he represented, the more I thought about the game itself and, more importantly, what games as a whole can represent.

As a young man, and I’m sure many of you will relate, I had my parents often talk about how much time I spend on games, or just looking at a screen in general. Obviously, I did touch grass now and then, but games were, and still are, my hobby and refuge. I imagine it’s natural as a parent to worry, but I think as more of my generation, those same kids lectured on games and needing to go outside to make friends begin to have their own children, the value they bring to people’s lives, including connection, is becoming more evident.

Of course, this isn’t a new topic of conversation, but it crossed my mind after watching the documentary, and I feel it brilliantly shows that sentiment.

You have a young man who frankly had a horrible quality of life as he grew older, and his muscles began to degrade and wither, yet in spite of that, he still used gaming as his escape, but more importantly, a way to connect and help people, make friends, and be a better person, and at the risk of sounding like Geoff Keightly, that should be a shining example of the good games can do. Even Mat’s parents didn’t get it until he passed, and they have since been vocal about how important games can be in people’s lives, much like how WoW was for their son.

If nothing else, Mats’s story highlights the good games can do and why they are so important for the many reasons people have listed before: connection, escape, and inspiration. I find his story to be one of the best that represents those ideals and what the industry can be. That is, if companies could stop being greedy and players took a page out of Mats’ book instead of stoking rage.

I know for me, WoW has been all of those things. Hell, my first major D&D character is based on my WoW character, and I know many others found friends, partners, and community because of them, and even though that isn’t quite as far-fetched idea as people used to think back in the day, I still think showing and celebrating that is important, and as much as it was a tough watch to see Mats struggles, his triumphs were equally as impactful, and I guess that’s what I’m trying to get at here.

Games are important, and Mats and Ibelin are examples that should inspire others. I certainly know he has inspired me.

Whether it’s in Space Marine 2, WoW, or whatever else I have been playing, I have tried to shrug off some of that jaded, spikey gamer tension we see so much of nowadays. Every release or mildly divisive game becomes a whirlwind of heated arguments and name-calling. I know I’d rather follow Ibelin’s example and be a better player for myself and everyone else.

I guess he is still having an impact on players, even after he is gone.

Blizzard has collaborated with Cure Duchenne on a new pet pack in World of Warcraft, the Reven Pack, with all the money going towards research and looking for a cure. If you play and can, I encourage picking up the pack and supporting the cause.