Abstract
In the past decades, online gaming has instilled itself in a prime spot in the entertainment industry. With millions of gamers all around the world, the focus is on the numerous online gaming communities growing exponentially and the social capital they bring along. This study aims to deconstruct the online gaming experience by using First-Person Shooter games (FPSGs) and Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing games (MMORPGs). These two distinct gameplays have huge fan followings and the online game spaces have allowed interactive and long-lasting bonds amongst the players. Further research is done to understand the online gaming communities as “third places”, how virtual identities have a positive impact on one’s sense of self and also how virtual communities promote social engagement by blurring geographical, physical, religious, ethnical, cultural, and temporal boundaries amongst others. There is no denying that online gaming has brought about a revolutionary means of developing virtual communities and promoting digital identities and these communities are here to stay.
Virtual Gaming Communities: In the Realms of the Everlasting Alliances (Click for PDF)
New media including the Internet and video games have become one of the topics widely discussed and researched, in the past decades, by scholars and academics. Online gaming platforms have provided alternate spaces for communication, cooperation, social interaction and forming relationships which overcome mere physical and cultural boundaries. Some of the underlying studies have focused on the accumulation of social capital derived from online gaming and the communities formed within the realm of gamers. A fascinating side of the digital gaming culture, namely, the motivation of the gamers to stay loyal or committed to certain guilds (Hsiao & Chiou, 2012, p. 75) – online gaming communities – is also looked at to better understand social gaming experiences. This paper digs deeper into the theories put forward by previous research on how online gaming communities are presently referred to as “third places” (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, p. 889) that aim to promote connectivity, social engagement, collaboration and integration whilst influencing the concept of identity on a personal level, and in terms of group identity. These types of mediated communication and communities have increased the social capital among gamers without disrupting society or alienating non-gamers.
Based on Baudrillard’s frame of work (1995, p. 6) and with the backing of Frostling-Henningsson (2009, p. 557), it is reiterated that virtual communities, part of the computer-generated virtual worlds, are but extensions to reality itself: hyperrealities. The paper will firstly focus on deconstructing First-Person Shooter games (FPSGs) and Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing games (MMORPGs) in order to showcase how online gaming has instilled meaningful communication and long-lasting virtual communities without catering for prejudices, stereotypes and discriminations. Next, the various motivational factors which attract gamers and keep them coming back for more will be looked at while underlining “the relationship between the psychological needs of the user and the social gaming situations provided by the virtual environment…” (Di Loreto & Gouaïch, 2010, p. 1). Thirdly, this exposé will address the perception of self and others as virtual identities through the online gaming communities. Needless to say, that the social capital gained through playing online games and integrating gaming communities allows for a growth in a player’s network and develops a sense of loyalty amongst gamers. Online communities have persevered throughout temporal and spacial dimensions given their intangible and unrestrictive characteristics. Digital gaming platforms have but reinforced and strengthened the lifespan of these virtual communities whilst enabling gamers to identify themselves freely and assert their virtual self with conviction.
Digital Gameplay Experiences
Understanding FPSGs and MMORPGs
As mentioned at the beginning, “the desire to play is triggered by the interaction between personal and environmental factors” (Di Loreto & Gouaïch, 2010, p. 1); in this case, FPSGs and MMORPGs are the environment and more specifically, Call of Duty and World of Warcraft respectively. The online gaming platforms mentioned are two of the most popular games in the world and ranked amongst the best in their respective genre. Millions of players log in daily and as pointed out by Koivisto (2003, para 5), the interaction between players is the turning point that impacts on the gaming experience of the gamer. This interaction can be both verbal and non-verbal communication, without exiting the realm of the gameplay; some of FPSGs’ and MMORPGs’ non-verbal communication would include character’s clothing and accessories, the actions undertaken, the in-game guilds chosen, and the way players’ chosen characters move in a given scene. On the other hand, the online aspect of gaming allows for an optimum use of technology and the Internet in terms of verbal communication. The latter can be either synchronous or asynchronous and one-to-one or one-to-many communications. Gamers constantly maintain contact and follow each other’s progress in the game through private messages, group chats, in-game chats and conversations, system broadcasts, discussion forums.
World of Warcraft is a MMORPG taking place on a fictional and fantasy world called Azeroth whereby the Alliance (heroes) and the Horde (villains) are fighting the ultimate battle. The appealing features of World of Warcraft include attractive graphics and audio, action sequences, narratives, and character customisations – such as name, gender, race, class, faction, and so on. World of Warcraft’s storyline highlights how “players create an avatar that evolves and interacts with other avatars in a persistent virtual world” (Billieux et al., 2013, p. 1). World of Warcraft can be played in three different dimensions, namely, “player versus player (PvP), player versus environment (PvE), and role-playing (RP)” (Williams et al., 2006, p. 342). Role-playing allows gamers to follow their chosen and customised characters, alongside other members of the same guild, throughout quests and adventures as they defeat enemies, acquire new skills and gain new levels. Williams et al. (2006, p. 340) explains how World of Warcraft is equivalent to “a vibrant third place”, housing and inspiring social bonds no matter how impersonal or meaningful they can become. The in-game experience amounts to life-like experiences that allow for “social interaction and relationships” (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, p. 889).
Moving on to the example illustrating FPSGs, Call of Duty, this game franchise allow players to live through a series of missions and challenges by enacting a character. And as the genre of the game suggests it, the main objective of the chosen character is to shoot other characters. Frostling-Henningsson (2009, p. 557) explains how the virtual world of Call of Duty transports the gamers to a fantasy world which aims to make “the impossible possible”, that is shoot and kill people. FSPGs offer a more intensive gameplay as gamers could play synchronously in cyberspace. Shooters usually play in teams or groups of the same online community (guild) competing against each other. The game design and the narrative of the FSPGs are constructed far from the reality and its occurrences; a motivating point for gamers to take out their frustration (unleash their wrath) in the virtual world whilst knowing that such behaviour is condemned in real life. From Frostling-Henningsson’s (2009, p. 562) point of view, playing FSPGs “can be interpreted as a way of connecting to people, connecting as ‘brothers in blood’”.
Online Gaming Communities: An Insight
With millions of gamers around the world, the focus is on the numerous online gaming communities growing exponentially and the social capital they bring along. In retrospective, it is very clear that “online gaming was first and foremost about communication” (Frostling-Henningsson, 2009, 558) and the Internet greatly facilitated this worldwide connectivity. The two distinct online games mentioned above have huge fan followings with online game spaces which have allowed interactive and long-lasting bonds amongst players. Online communities create bridges to overcome physical distance and time disparities for gamers to mingle, share and interact with each other. This continuous increase in social engagement is the foundation of strong and long-lasting online gaming communities. Trepte et al. (2012, p. 832) highlight the fact that socialising is the strongest pull for gamers to start engaging in a particular online game. Following the same line of thought, online gaming communities regroup players in in-game guilds and teams; and studies show that “social online gaming could accordingly strengthen existing friendship ties and create new ones by providing a shared focus of activity” (Domahidi et al., 2014, p. 109). Meng et al. (2015, p. 19) address the “multimodal connectedness” that exists amongst players given the numerous communication channels available to them via the gaming platforms. The study about “multimodal connectedness” brings forth the use of various in-game communication channels to increase trust amongst gamers and therein encourage community-building.
In-Game Friendships
When it comes to socialising on online gaming platforms, Kowert and Oldmeadow (2015, p. 556) point out that gamers acquire “a sense of closeness, belonging, and security” from the attachments from other members in the online communities. The popularity and accessibility of online video games have been associated to the increase of a player’s social circle. Engaging in social gaming undeniably facilitates interactions between a player and his entourage that gradually lead to friendships. As explained by Kowert et al. (2014, p. 385), gaming community members are not just online acquaintances, the relationships are meaningful and as real as ever:
“One’s co-players are often more than just individuals who help achieve in-game instrumental goals. Co-players often become close, trusted friends and valued sources of online advice”.
Furthermore, Trepte et al. (2012, p. 838) reveal how online gaming proves to be “a valuable social resource” that offers potential for offline friendships from the social capital gained by gamers online. Another important aspect of forming attachments, specifically friendships in gaming communities, is how “socially phobic players may employ online games to satisfy social relational needs while avoiding stress experienced in offline social environments” (Sioni et al., 2017, 12). This clearly depicts the positive impacts that online gaming communities have on players and their self-perception. As friendships and bonds are formed in the digital world, people grow closer emotionally and allow for the perseverance of online social support.
Social Virtual Identities
Digital self-production is the primary asset for someone to belong in an online community. In order to be properly represented and recognised online, a player ought to build an image of himself or herself through their characters in a game and the roles they carry out, which is referred to as an avatar. In some cases, this simulated version of a gamer becomes as real as life itself. MMORPGs give players the chance to overcome any sort of boundaries, socially and culturally, and also enhance their self-esteem (Sioni et al, 2017, p. 11). Developing a virtual identity is subjective yet gamers also have a group identity when they form part of a particular community. Fraser et al. (2014, p. 523) similarly advocates that “an individual’s differentiation and integration within a group structure shape the individual’s identity development as it relates to and influences their group identity”.
In some instances though, worried parents, teachers, and the media amongst others have brought up a lot of concerning issues about whether or not online gaming could be addictive and harmful when it came to young adults and teenagers. The media primarily associated the violence in games to teenagers’ aggressivity and unwillingness to follow societal rules. The information gathered from the study about Internet gaming disorder carried out by King et al. (2016, p. 493) explain that understanding the profound gaming behaviour and how withdrawal symptoms from online gaming could be summed to the simple fact that the players would feel bored, miss their online friends and even lack mental stimulation. No serious case of addiction to gaming has been reported and researchers still find themselves uncertain to characterise online gaming using addiction or violence concepts. On the opposite hand, some studies mention how “virtual worlds hold great potential for the psychological growth of its users” (Kowert & Oldmeadow, 2015, p. 557).
The above argument all but reaffirms the notion that social virtual identities are growing exponentially and they undeniably hold quite an importance in online communities. Williams et al. (2006, p. 358) demonstrate in their research the lengths gamers, specifically in MMORPGs, would go to maintain their virtual identities, acknowledge the other online personas around them in the digital world and thus creating the adequate platform for emotional and social support. The latter further show how online gaming communities empower gamers to construct their own identity virtually and reap the benefits in terms of “psychological growth” (Kowert & Oldmeadow, 2015, p. 557). The online communities also bring forth Belk’s (2013, p. 477) concept of “extended self”; whereby gamers are presented with an opportunity to re-invent or embody a virtual identity. Individuals hold their online avatars vigorously close to their hearts. In the case of MMORPGs, “the player is the character. You’re not role-playing a being, you are that being; you are not assuming an identity, you are that identity; you are not protecting a self, you are that self” (Bartle, 2004, p. 155). Gamers get so immersed in their virtual identities that everything in the digital world becomes as real as reality itself be it the gameplay or the relationships and the communities they belong to therein, the assertion of a group identity.
Conclusion and Discussion
In this study, a deeper analysis of the function and dynamics of online gaming communities has been carried out. It is crucial to point out the qualifying features of these virtual environments: first and foremost, online communities ease interaction and communication without any time or space constraints and secondly, they give members a sense of belonging that transcends any social awkwardness or any phobias gamers undergo in real life on a daily basis. Steinkuelher and Williams (2006, p. 903) note that online communities’ “relationships can broaden social horizons or world-views, providing access to information and new resources”. Additionally, there has been numerous research conducted on how online gaming and the virtual identity have positively impacted on a gamer’s personal opinion of himself (Sioni et al., 2017, p. 15). Player-to-player interactions have encouraged collaboration, participation, teamwork and even friendships in both FPSGs and MMORPGs; this clearly shows that the social aspect of online gaming platforms and online communities motivates gamers while allowing a continuance to the gameplay. Personalised avatars and screen names are the stepping stones into the aesthetically pleasing virtual world that is online gaming. A player’s expertise increases accordingly with his time spent in the game and on the online communities. The learning curve for a gamer happens alongside other players and no one is left out. Gaming communities provide both online and offline support as research has shown. A recurring point in several studies is that newbies start playing an online game – whether out of curiosity or boredom or on someone’s recommendations – but ultimately stick around on the virtual platforms because of the interactive guilds and gaming communities. There is no denying that online gaming has brought about a revolutionary means of creating and maintaining virtual communities along with long-lasting ties amongst gamers; and these communities are here to stay.
Virtual Gaming Communities: In the Realms of the Everlasting Alliances – Click for PDF
References
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Hi Malvika
I found your paper very interesting and had a strong finishing point about why people become gamers and chose to stay gamers. But do you believe this transition to be permanent or just a temporary phase in someones life?
Hi Bradley,
Thank you very much for your comment. Coming to your question, I was also intrigued by whether or not this transition was fleeting or not. I found that many gamers stay within these communities for years and years on while others may consider gaming only as a phase in their lives. Some research and facts have also shown that the average gamer in American is 34 years old. This definitely speaks about how gaming might not be a teenage-exclusive territory. I personally think that it is all subjective and depends on the depth and strength of the ties between the individual and the gaming communities. Are you a gamer yourself? I would appreciate your thoughts on this matter.
Hello Malvika,
Your paper makes a convincing case for online gaming as an advocate of socialisation without boundaries. You manage to encapsulate the contrast between the lure of online gaming as an extension of reality and how the behaviour and actions of gamers as a unified body of individuals develop into meaningful communities.
To the outside world, online gaming communities are often belittled to mere acquaintances. I found interesting how you built up your arguments to finally make your case about the prominence of relationships through gaming. Your writing is cohesive, especially reading through the part on social virtual identities. Your paper depicts how players reap the benefits of being part of a community through their avatars as an embodiment of their feelings. However, don’t you think gamers being so engrossed in a virtual reality potentially affects their personalities in the real world?
You also mention the case of “socially phobic players” satisfying social relational needs. In the case of such gamers, do you think the positive impacts can go beyond that kind of online social support and cause socially challenged payers to develop relationships outside of their online dimension? Or are those relationships restricted to online platforms?
Hello Sendil,
Thank you very much for showing such interest and commenting on my paper.
You do have a point concerning the issues you mentioned and I personally think that gamers can definitely find themselves in some sort of “blurred” reality where their virtual identity might overpower their personality in real life. But at the same time, the gamers might have discovered unknown sides of their own personality through the online communities and let that be known to the actual people around them.
When I talk about “socially phobic players”, there is in fact a lot a research about how these gamers have in fact grown into more expressive and extroverted people, in work places or at school, thanks to the time they have spent on the gaming platforms. These online communities act as a medium through which these socially-challenged people learn to understand themselves and others without prejudices or discriminations and this can later translate in their offline behaviour.
Hello again Malvika!
Thank you for taking the time to answer my queries.
I trust your paper is backed by research in regard to the points I have mentioned. Your paper highlights the current status of online gaming as whole. To the majority of the outside world, concerns surrounding online gaming are often confused with issues revolving around other online platforms, which in turn questions the integrity of online gaming communities. However I have to agree with you, the facets of online gaming bringing together users put forward significant positives which cannot be overlooked.
Thank you for sharing your work, it’s an interesting read and will surely be appreciated by fellow gamers.
Hi there,
Yes, there is the undeniable fact that the most common information circulated about online gaming communities do not show the benefits. During my research process, I came across my academic papers and articles that helped me understand how the online communities are created and how they actually prove to be beneficial for most gamers socially, intellectually and on a personal level. I do hope that people grasp the whole idea of gaming communities before condemning them and labelling them as “waste of time”, “anti social”, or even about how relationships created on these platforms are meaningless.
Thank you again for your questions and your feedback.
It was a pleasure! 🙂
Hello Malvika!
Your article just gave me some major nostalgia! Thank you so much, best time of my teenage life !
I actually met a great friend of mine on an MMORPG (Flyff) on the french server (He is french), and we became really close friends despite the distance. After 8-10 years of friendship we were able to meet (he flew to Mauritius back in 2017) and it was just amazing ! He discovered where i live and we shared a lot of memories. I’ll surely go to France to meet him again and his friends!
Thing is, i was able to manage both my virtual and real life back then (in terms of school and learning). Games did affect my concentration – i was so eager to play and neglected studies a bit. I did only enough to have good grades, where i could do way better.
A well-known term in gaming is “no life”, where you actually lack those ‘normal’ social skills. I was present in the virtual world and less or not at all irl (in real life).
I also kept my online nickname and now use it in my real life (since a lot lot lot of years). It means so much to me and kind of reminds me of ‘where i come from’, what i’ve learned through my online friends that made me grow into the little human i now am.
There’s some pros and cons like in every aspects of life, but it sure gave me a nice life lesson. No matter the distance, people are meant to bond. Human interaction is important.
Thanks a lot for sharing your work ~
Hi Kyky,
Thank you so much for your comment! I am so glad you enjoyed my paper.
Your own gaming experience highlights so many of the key points I mentioned in my work. It’s great to see that research reflects a lot of what is actually happening in reality. You have shown, as a gamer yourself, that your online identity and gameplay experience have helped you in terms of growing your social capital and developing your own identity in real life and how your virtual ties on the online gaming communities are not weak and short-term relationships despite the geographical distance amongst gamers.
I thank you again for showing interest in my paper and sharing your own experience on this platform. I hope you get to go to France and visit your friends!
Hi again,
I totally forgot to ask you about your nickname!
How did you choose this particular name?
Do you think your nickname highlights your online personality or do you think your online and real life personalities are inter-connected?
I do imagine that people might ask you why is your online handle used as a regular name. I have always wondered about the online handles of gamers.
Well it’s a mix of two names i love : Kyoko and Yumi (anime characters) and i came up with Kyomi which was my main character in Flyff. Then as we engaged into battle in the mmorpg, my friend named me Kyky for a quicker way to address me and TADAAA !
I found it cute and easy to remember. It became my daily life “nickname”.
I think we all have various “personalities” , a kind of way to present ourself to the world. Whether it is with your parents, your friends or co-workers etc. I think each are connected to your “main you”. The dominant “you” . Which might be known from only you.
“Kyky” represents the more accessible part of my personality. The one i find friendly and happy. I just prefer that haha. Online nicknames played a major role in identifying oneself. Learning who we are. I guess that’s why it means so much to me even now and probably forever ~
Thank you for replying to my questions Kyky!
You definitely seem like a very expressive and outgoing person. You do have a very interesting view point. I really like the fact that you have said that online nicknames and handles play a major role in terms of identity and personality amongst gamers. Online names and self-depicted identities do help to construct one’s character online. I had never given much thought to how these traits were pivotal previously but this could be an additional aspect to add to my work.
Thanks for your feedback!
Hi Malvi,
This is an amazing article which could educate a lot of people about online gaming. As a gamer myself, I agree to a lot of your points. From experience online gaming has bought me a lot of relationships. Friends that I would have normally not met or chat with on any social media. I find it easier to discuss and interact with people via parties made in game than to go and make a first step to talk to a stranger on a social media website. Its also interesting to look at other people’s play style and characters. I think it gives the idea of who you’re dealing with way better than irl or on let’s say fb. Playing with friends is also a great team building experience IMO.
Hello Nielsen,
Thank you for your comment. It is always really great to get feedback from actual gamers. The personal experience you have described certainly makes my essay even more relevant. I also think that gamers have their own individuality as much as their specific differences on the online communities. And as you have mentioned, the online platforms make it easier for people to connect and communicate without the awkwardness or any shyness compared to face to face encounters. I agree with your last point: how gaming is a great team building experience. I think this could be a point to add in my further research.
Thank you again!
Hi Malvika,
I couldn’t enjoy reading this more than I did. This article took me to my early years as a gamer and reminded me how in some way, it helped me morph into who I am today.
On top of being a mean of socialization that tears through boundaries that that normally stand due to distance, religions and other differences, I personally think that some games have helped youngsters become the better versions of themselves by educating them on the good and the bad. Giving us the options to do whatever we want in-game while keeping us aware of the repercussions of doing it in real life.
Once more, great article!
Hi Frederic,
Thank you very much for your feedback!
It’s really great to hear opinions from gamers and how my work is relatable and relevant. I am a firm believer that online gaming communities do more good than people are acknowledging.
Thank you for enjoying reading my paper!