Two things about this NY Times article,The Family That Slays Demons Together, struck me:
1) More proof that parents are involved in "kids" games. Sure, the Milton Bradley family from 1950's predates this but it seems kind of like a Renaissance of sorts. I've been playing Carmen Sandiego's Great Chase Through Time. Definitely for kids. But hey, I'm actually enjoying it.
2) The author reports that people sell items their characters have won in games like Diablo to other people for their characters.As the author says, "The battles may be fantasy, but the shopping is real."