Virtual Worlds
The Guardian has an incredibly insightful interview with Richard Bartle, creator of MUD in the late 70s. His explanation of burnout in virtual worlds is really interesting:
People go there as part of a hero’s journey - a means of self-discovery (shh! don’t let the players know - they think it’s just “to have fun”). When they’ve grown as people and become the individuals they set out to become, they have no need to play any more.