Category: Communities and Online Gaming

The focus of this stream is on online games and the role of community within those games.

World of Warcraft: Fostering Extroverted Introverts

Kyle Mannion5 Comments
World of Warcraft is the massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by video game studio Activision-Blizzard, with a focus on social play and conquering challenges as a part of a group. Oddly enough, the stereotype exists of World of Warcraft (WoW) players that they are antisocial introverts who would sooner spend hours in a virtual world as opposed to taking a step outside into real-life. And yet, WoW by it’s definition as massively multiplayer is a game with it’s Read more [...]

Online games have provided the impetus in the digital age for gamers to meet, form and sustain communities and to ultimately transition them beyond the game themselves.

Patrick Sotiriou11 Comments
Online games have provided the impetus in the digital age for gamers to meet, form and sustain communities and to ultimately transition them beyond the game themselves. Abstract: This paper aims to highlight the positive effects video games have instilled upon gamers through it’s social affordances to serve as the catalyst for friendship building beyond the games themselves into the wider online community. Evidence will be drawn from both gamers and industry experts to support how video games Read more [...]

Online Gaming Avatars Offer Individuals the Ability to Alter Self-Presentation and Identity within Virtual Environments and Communities

Nathan Barnes12 Comments
Abstract The following paper discusses the usage of online gaming avatars within virtual environments and communities and the ability for individuals to alter self-presentation through avatars in an online gaming context. The articles utilised describe online gaming, communities and virtual environments through massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) such as World of Warcraft (WoW) and Second Life as a “third place” (Hendershott & Oldenburg, 1991) for sociability and computer-mediated Read more [...]

Forming Identities for Individuals and Communities through Interactive Social Gaming

Josephine Gunther15 Comments
Abstract This paper explores Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), Massive-Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG), Social Media Gaming, Streaming, and E-Sports, and the affects that these platforms may have on day-to-day offline (non-Internet) life. It will make reference to 23 peer-reviewed articles to argue that online gaming has provided an escape from reality into a world where players are able to mould their identities, build communities, and experience interactive virtual realities with Read more [...]

Friendships Formed and Strengthened in Online Gaming Environments

Amy Bastin14 Comments
Abstract This paper explores the potential for individuals to form and strengthen friendships in online gaming environments by consulting 14 previous studies surrounding the topic. There are multiple online gaming types that facilitate communication between gamers such as massive multiplayer online game (MMOG), massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) and virtual reality games. In some of these games, there is also the opportunity for gamers to create an avatar that does not have to Read more [...]

Streaming games online is a positive thing for the community

Joshua Page6 Comments
offline version: Streaming games online is a positive thing for the community gaming has become a multi-billion-dollar entertainment outlet worldwide. As of 2017, video gaming as a whole have produced $108.9 billion. (McDonald, 2017). This paper will look at the effects of streaming games online with the growing community watching these such streams. We will be looking at the positive effects such as the boost in sales from streaming online. The negative effects that companies believe there are Read more [...]

The Negative Effects of Anonymity and Excessive Participation in Online Gaming Communities

Elise Grazotis10 Comments
Elise Grazotis Curtin University   PDF Version: The Negative Effects of Anonymity and Excessive Participation in Online Gaming Communities Abstract This paper explores characteristics of the online gaming community and the associated negative consequences to users. Participation in these communities is generally anonymous due to the nature of the games that usually require avatars or characters that fit into the alternate world, rather than personal, offline identities. While Read more [...]

Minecraft Servers are Providing Safe and Nurturing Communities for Young People

NMarkham13 Comments
Abstract The global popularity and influence of online video games has been the subject of debate for nearly three decades, often with the claim of video games promoting aggressive and anti-social behaviour. Minecraft is an online multiplayer game played by over 74 million active monthly players across over 10,000 live servers. These servers are often designed, built and operated by volunteer staff called administrators. It is through the rules set by these administrators, combined with their Read more [...]

WARCRAFT COMMUNITIES AND THEIR SOCIAL BENEFITS

Lincoln Isenbert2 Comments
  Online Video Game Communities in World of Warcraft and their impact on wellbeing in comparison to real world communities Abstract This paper explores a variety of sources that cover the benefits of online video game communities (online communities) and how they are created within the World of Warcraft environment which will be compared to real-world communities (offline communities). Blizzard Entertainments’ (Blizzard) video game World of Warcraft (WoW) is the digital landscape that allows Read more [...]

Roleplay and Community Gaming; how the use of streaming technologies enhance trust in gaming environments where players roleplay characters through pseudonym and false identity.

Shannon Ghioni6 Comments
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to argue that streaming technologies enhance trust in gaming environments where players roleplay characters through pseudonyms and false identity. Through methods of researching Grand Theft Auto Five (GTAV) (Rockstar North, 2013) game mechanics, the streaming service Twitch (www.twitch.tv), and focusing on the FiveM (CitizenFX, 2014) server The Family RP (FiveM, 2014) to demonstrate how trust is formed within these communities through the rules and communication Read more [...]