The Most Important Part

Why do online games include features like a chat-box or messages? You'd think that if you're playing an awesome game, or if you're in a tight situation in game, you wouldn't want to stop and type to some random people from who knows where.

But, clearly it must be an important feature of the game, otherwise the developers would have left it out. If it wasn't an essential part of the game or the game's experience, why would it be included?

And why are there groups for people who all play the same game? Why do people go out of their way to find people who play the same game as they do?Is it really that important?

I think that, yes, it is that important. That is why this semester, I'm going to be researching the importance of the community in online gaming.