Abstract
This paper undertakes the definition of “identity” and analyses its current meaning in a modern society and how individuals as an individual identify the self as the the world is experiencing evolution day by day, hence is the identity of individuals online, more specifically, gamers online. How do gamers sees themselves and to what do they attributes the qualities and assets of their identity in this vast online gaming community? This paper further delves into the world of MMOS to be precise and takes a look at two factors: self-extension and self-aggregation, which contributes to the build up of gamers on the sphere of MMOS and how the avatar that players of MMO creates is an extension of the self and how they incorporate the identity of their real life into the customization of the avatar to make a better self online and how would the players rather perceives themselves through the creation of their avatar’s identity.
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Identity is a nebulous and ephemeral concept. Identity has been used and even re used and over re used in a range of circumstances and for a variety of reasons in the past years. Buckingham (2008) cited in his writings that as it can be observed, there are a variety of assumptions as to what the identification is and how it relates to our knowledge of young people’s digital media usage. The term identity within itself has an underlying conundrum that is encapsulated in the name itself. On one side, identity is something that is very unique to each individual and is more or less, consistent and on the other side, identity is viewed as something that is, nevertheless, expresses something that is both similar and different at the same time (Griffiths and Ahmed, 2021). So where do gamers fit in this sphere of identity? How to they identify themselves and their community online? This paper will delve into the understanding on how gamers define their identity by understanding online communities. This paper aims to analyze the identity of a gamer through online communities, self-extension and self-aggregation in the world of MMOs.
In his writings, Delanty (2018) refers to online community as a community built over the internet. Delanty (2018) defines online communities as a collection of people who uses the internet to interact with one another because they have a common interest or goal. A community online also has its own set of rules and requirements, such as for example, participation, monitoring, moderation and management of the specific online community. Delanty (2018) states that in an environment that is uncertainly growing, the increasing separation of society today has been followed by an ongoing desire for the greater community as a means of protection and togetherness. Which simply translates that due to our society growing and parting ways, online communities found peace in a digital sphere where they are allowed to share their thoughts without any fears of the outside world and none has to fear about the insecurities as they feel a sense of belonging among those online communities. What was thought to disappeared has regenerated into an online element.
Gamers were not spared when online communities were formed. Benjamin et al. (2017) defines the term ‘gamer’ as a person who enjoys playing different forms of digital or online video games as a hobby. In a general aspect, a gamer is somebody who enjoys playing video games. As online communities increases massively in people’s lives on a day to day basis, analyst typically aim to understand the prevailing tendencies of a gaming group, how new released games impact a gaming community but also what generates interest in a specific style of gaming when examining gamers as a community. Simultaneously, people identify themselves and other people as gamers based upon variable such as one’s game play habits, the avatar that they created online to identify themselves and the experiences they receives in the gaming environment (Hsiao and Chiou, 2010). These digital settings reshape identity borders and provide new avenues for personal growth and social circle, thus allowing people to redefine their identity in terms of many perspectives and alternative realities thanks to online groups.
Ducheneaut et al. (2007) mentions how MMORPGS also known as Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games, are a key instance to experiment on communities from which people all over the world create characters of their own, play roles, acquire virtual assets and interact with a virtual environment. An example found in Ducheneaut et al. (2007)’s findings is how traditional online community like LinkedIn will allow an individual to develop more their professional identity, in contrast, experimental communities like gaming ones, allows individuals to develop more than one identity at once. Through active engagement and consumption of the game, these experimental communities provides a broad range of opportunities for gamers to construct and reinvent their identities. Gamers typically joins those communities in order to achieve both personal objectives and group goals, like sharing ones experiences on the game and information towards a specific goal, participating in guild activities and raids in games as well as engaging in the construct of identities and hedonistic and enjoyable experiences.
Gamers forming part of experimental communities such as WOW (World of Warcraft) uses several tactics for sefl-extension and sefl-aggregation. For example, gamers expand their online identity through virtual assets, using their avatars and virtual belonging to create and demonstrate their position in the experienced community. Ducheneaut et al. (2007) notes that gamers participates in their online identity creation by experiencing their virtual assests and relationships with the online set to which they belongs and this aids in the formation of identities online. Therefore, this is how gamers online, extend their selves as the term “extended self” relates to how people regard and feel related to things they own, such as beliefs, experiences, items, avatars and others. In the virtual world, the avatar is the most popular emblematic representation of the extended self. Players can blend their own characteristic with an idealistic self, or how they would want to be or look like, when creating their avatar. The stronger the conceptualization of the constructed avatar, the better the player’s connection and bond with it (Kowert and Quandt, 2015). Brusseau (2019) in his findings mentions how players can improve their avatars by participating in a variety of actions that will help them develop new skills thus this development changes the avatar of the player which allows them to be a true representation of the player’s status among the other community members.
Ducheneaut et al. (2007) notes that the incorporation of other players in the self-system also known as the aggregated self is the most crucial feature of contemporary communities. Which is why crucial successes in games like WOW are only attainable through teamwork and exchange of virtual belongings. The sense of aggregation is most likely motivated by the sense of sharing and belonging in the community of the game which is why some players decides to creates guilds to better experience this feeling as they can also achieve better with people they know and been playing a lot with them (Hsiao and Chiou, 2011). On top of that, games like WOW, and other MMORPGs in general, allows gamers to develop more their identity in the community as it helps players to holds a wider sense of a “self-system”. Moreover, players identify better with distinct groups that are based off the game’s lore and hence adhere to group conventions. As an examples mentioned by Ducheneaut et al. (2007), players of WOW can either be a member of the alliance or horde factions, which are the two main opposed “gang” of the game. To say if one is a member of the alliance, which is the main community in WOW, they would consider players of the horde as adversaries.
Ducheneaut et al. (2007) analyses that online communities in the gaming sphere allows players to mix both the extension of the self and the aggregation of the self, resulting in the player being able to connect with a diverse variety of people and events. It is very essential to note this aspect of this interactions as it only allows player to do only through playing and not on a day to day basis which allow them to draw the line on the limits and not push this boundary. Creating different characters constantly allow the player to discover themselves under multiple point of view and get to better know how to better identify themselves. This allow the individual to join multiple communities and forms better ones, as process that can be seen as quite familiar to that of the real world. According to Brusseau (2019) on the big data identity, this can help to lead gamers to also develop their identity outside of the video game, viewing themselves as more capable leaders of the world of tomorrow and more committed to their real life work.
As a conclusion, it can be said that the development of the identity of an individual is inextricably linked to one’s interaction with others and also the surrounding environment of the person. Which means that the concept of “I am” solely exist in conjunction with the concept that is “We are” or “Us”. In online gaming communities as seen above, the player’s identity formed due to the community’s encouragement of the sense of involvement but also due to the creation of the avatar and the personalization attached to it and the customisation the player is allow to make on the creation of the avatar. This also welcomes the player in the process that is the extension of the self but also the aggregation of the self, which both helps to form a gamer’s identity in online gaming communities like MMORPGs. However this is also a concept that can be applied to other type of games like FPS (First Person Shooter) or even MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) as the gaming sphere is vast and the communities formed throughout it, are also massive (Hsiao and Chiou, 2011).
REFERENCING
Benjamin, P., Morgenroth, T., & Stratemeyer, M. (2017). What is a True Gamer? The Male Gamer Stereotype and the Marginalization of Women in Video Game Culture. Sex Roles; New York, 76(7-8), 421- 435. DOI:10.1007/s11199-016-0678-y
Brusseau, J. (2019). Ethics of identity in the time of big data. First Monday, 24(5). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v24i5.9624
Buckingham, D. (2008). Introducing Identity. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. https://www.issuelab.org/resources/850/850.pdf
Delanty, G. (2018). Community (3rd ed). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315158259
Ducheneaut, N., Yee, N., Nickell, E., & Moore, R. J. (2007, April 26). The life and death of online gaming communities: a look at guilds in world of warcraft [Online]. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. https://doi.org/10.1145/1240624.1240750
Gandhi, R., Cook, C. L., LaMastra, N., Uttarapong, J., & Yvette, D. (2021). An Exploration of Mental Health Discussions in Live Streaming Gaming Communities.Frontiers in Psycology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.575653
Griffiths, O., & Ahmed, A. (2021). Introducing Identity. J Philos Logic, 50(-), 1449- 1469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10992-021-09605-9
Hsiao, C. C., & Chiou, J. S. (2011). The effects of a player’s network centrality on resource accessibility, game enjoyment, and continuance intention: A study on online gaming communities. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 11(1), 75-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elerap.2011.10.001
Kowert, R., & Quandt, T. (2015). The Video Game Debate (1ST ed). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315736495
Hi Maddie, thanks for sharing your paper. This piece made me think a lot about the excitement around the release of Elden Ring earlier this year. It’s ostensibly an RPG that also has a multi-player/“summoning” component (where people can team up to help fight a boss). I know you focus on MMORPGs, but I’m curious about the ways that gamers construct their identities and forge community across these different kinds of games. You mention that things like avatars allow people to present an extended form of their self or identity, which I thought was a fascinating point, but I wonder if you could unpack this further, particularly with regard to the formation of a gaming community and self-aggregation. For example, do you think that gamers construct an avatar to extend their self or identity to their community, or is there something more fluid in the ways that identity and community intersect and co-form each other? (I’m thinking of things like a gaming-community’s in-jokes and puns that a player might take up in naming or constructing their character). I wonder if this ties in with the concept of “self-system” that you were discussing—could you unpack this further? It’s a really interesting concept. Would be excited to hear your thoughts!
Hello Eva!
Thank you for your comment! There are indeed some interesting point you made there. As far as my experience goes as a gamer for nearly 15 years now, I must say that a gamer forges their identity based I would say on the game they first experienced or a game their are more comfortable in playing. As you mentioned, the paper is about MMORPGS, however taking myself as an example, I would identity myself more as an FPS player, meaning I would direct myself more towards games like Valorant or CS:GO. I identify as an FPS player after trying out many games I would say and my cup of tea is more that of FPS. Why you might asks? It is simply because of the adrenaline rush I get when playing these type of games. For me MMO(RPGS), are more towards a chill play style even though the game might be quite hard and there is much to achieve. The achievement you get for example when playin Valorant, more specific, Rank mode on the game, is a different type of feeling and feel more satisfying and exiting to me, as my identity is quite robust. For your second question, I would say that gamers would construct their identity first then comes the community, as you would seek people with the same mindset and thinking as you, which creates the community one might be looking for.
Would love to hear more from you!
Cheers!
The online gaming community is a place where the norms are not the same as that in the outside-world and society. It is a place where gamers are allowed to express their own individuality, by portraying different personas through avatars without directly impacting their immediate surrounding or changing any the way they express themselves in society.
For example, in the real world, certain fashion, language, morals may be frowned upon by the immediate family and friends or entourage. But in the online community, the gamers would be part of a group of other individuals who share the same views and interests. That makes the online community is safer and more comfortable place for the gamer.
The online gaming community is also a very good way of gamers to communicate with other people having the same point of view or sharing the same interests without needing to physically be present with the other person.
Hello Rizwaan,
I totally agree with your points! I would like to add that even though there might be some “gamers” in the community than can be toxic at times, the communities online in the gaming sphere are still very welcoming and is indeed a safe place for us!
Cheers.
Hi Maddie，
I really enjoyed your article, very interesting topic.
The online gaming community allows players to take on roles in the game world that they cannot in real life, and it’s a great community for players to express themselves.
But I have a question, does the identity a player plays in the game community affect his perception of his real identity?
For example, if a person is addicted to his identity in a game, will he not be able to distinguish between virtual and reality in reality?
Hello Chen!
Thank you for your comment! Good questions! To answer your first question, I would say no, as mentioned in the paper, most players nowadays extend their real self into the games they play. Eventually if someone creates a fake identity online, that person is encouraged to show their real self. Second, a person might take on a fake identity to preserve their real self and keep their gaming identity separate from their personal life. A point I would like to make is, most of the time people creates an avatar or persona that for example they would have loved to be in real life. Gaming today, is allowing people to forge this personality in their real life by encouraging them to be the better person and be real and have more confidence. So they are taking this in game identity and turning it into a real one, which is not as impacting as it sounds as a person’s identity keeps evolving throughout their whole life. This case would especially affects active gamers and not passive ones. To answer your second question, there is a term called “moderation” that many game developers applies to their game, which notify the players that they have been playing for too long and they should take a pause. Secondly, gamers today, also applies this term to their daily routine of playing as many factors today are enabling people to focus more on a healthy lifestyle. As for youngsters, I believe, the moderation should come from the parents.
I hope this answered your questions, do not hesitate to asks more!
Cheers!
Hi Maddie
Enjoyed reading your paper, I understand that people will use the identity from a avatar and a game to build confidence, do you think that this will give a person the confidence (if they do not have it already) to move forward in real life?
This would be a positive for a gamer identity, I would think. I have never played a game where you are mixing with others, the closest I have ever come to something as like a avatar and playing a real life is through playing the SIMs, which I enjoyed as it put me into a imaginary place where my person that I designed could achieve and I got satisfaction from that.
Jennifer
Hello Jennifer!
Thank you for your comment!
To answer your question, I would say yes! Games today, MMOS in particular, are encouraging people to have more confidence to their real self, as active gamers are often inspired by their character. Like I replied to Chen, gamers are taking their in game identity and forging it into a real one.
Cheers!
Hi Maddy,
Your paper does well in deconstructing the elements that help to create a gamer’s identity online, namely their interactions and environments. I think often from what I have seen that the idea of gaming communities being spaces for identity exploration is neglected from an outsider’s perspective. People can assume that a gamer doesn’t extend past multiple games and that they are focused on one game or a specific type of game without exploring outside of that. So I think that the inclusion of how his aspect can contribute to the ephemeral stabilisation of a person’s identity was insightful.
Hello Tafadzwa,
Thank you for your comment and I totally agree with you!
Cheers!
Hello Maddie,
I loved your paper and as a player of video games for the last 20 years, it’s topic that I have a lot of experience in. I’ve played World of Warcraft for a long time and I can definitely see the understanding identity creation and wanting to belong to to a community. I still remember being in my guild as a kid, meeting twice a week for a raid and just talking about random stuff in-game. It did really feel like a community. Despite this however, I still believe games can’t be a substitute for any real life social interaction in addition to identity creation. While I understand they can be used as a tool for expressing ones identity and feelings, I believe the skills you learn from interacting with everyone are far more important and valuable than the identity being created. I wonder your thoughts on if MMO’s are exclusively allowing this creation of identity or if other genres are also facilitating this as well (such as Single-Player games, Puzzle games etc). Anyway, great paper and glad to see games getting more discussion.
Regards,
Jack
Hi Jack,
I agree that gaming or any form of digital interaction can not truly replace the physical space, but as a third place or a complementary activity I think it’s perfectly fine. Your experience seems to be a nice example for this, an occasional thing to discuss things which work or family don’t really engage with.
From a practical point of view, I agree that social skills are more useful and transferable to different aspects of life. But giving people, especially kids, a space to play or experiment with their identities can be highly influential. I also played games as a kid I think these experiences were formative to my current identity, influencing how I think and likes/dislikes . I’m not sure if I would say either of these were more important, they are just different.
Your point about single players games is interesting. In other papers I have seen the idea that “performing to the audience” is a major influence to a persons identity, in the case of entertainment I wonder if it can be considered that you are that audience?
Nice to see you thoughts on this piece
– Raymond
Hi Raymond,
Thanks for reading my comment.
I agree with you on the complementary activity or third place for people to exist in. But due to the nature of game design and reward systems within them, I’m afraid that people will get to that point of making it a replacement. Obviously it’s just a worry, but I would be interested in reading research around this topic to see if there is any information surrounding it. Furthermore, I think definitely that you are the audience for a lot of aspects of games storytelling and even characters you create or play. Especially if the character your playing is being talked to rather then you talking to them. But I do think single-player content is limited. I think it’s probably more aligned with what you mentioned around influencing likes/dislikes and identity creation through representation in media generally.
Games are always an interesting topic to cover as they are slowing growing in mainstream discussion
Hello Jack.
Thank you for your comment.
I do believe that other games give you passively the ability to create the identity of your character in the game, however, from personally experience, I would say that MMOS gives you a vast choice on the creation of your character and identity online. As for puzzle games, creators are most likely to make different type of games to allow different kind of gamers to play the game, for example cute puzzle games or dark and violent puzzle games.
Cheers!
Hi Maddie,
Thanks for the paper, it was really interesting and I enjoyed it. I myself have my fair share of experiences with gaming too and therefore found the paper very engaging. The online gaming community has enabled players to portray different versions of themselves and thus, redefining their identity through alternate realities and it helps boost their confidence due to the sense of belonging they receive. It is fascinating seeing how powerful the online community can be. However, do you think that in the long run, it will have a detrimental effect on the individual’s personal identity in the real world?
Hello Nicholas,
Thank you for your comment.
I would say no, as a person’s identity keep evolving throughout their whole life and gaming is not the only factor affecting an individual’s personality and identity thus I do not believe that online gaming communities would have a detrimental effect on someone’s identity.
Cheers!
Hey Maddie,
Loved your paper! As someone who plays FFXIV religiously, it was something I got to enjoy reading while doing a little self-reflecting.
I’ve noticed games like WOW and FFXIV, where that sense of community and aggregation is strong, seldom has issues with toxicity – if so, it’s very rare, in my personal experience. Compare this to games such as FPS, or even farming and mining on minecraft, where users often sabotage or ruin players fun.
It could be chalked down to completely different genres of games, sure. But do you feel that the sense of representing a guild or collective adds a level of responsibility to those to behave in a certain manner?
Hello Pualhani!
Thank you for your comment!
I totally agree with you, toxic players can definitely ruin the gaming experience for certain players and especially new players and can definitely ruin the reputation of a good game. Which is why toxic players are always solo gaming and do not belong to any guild or community and are most of the time banned from games. No matter the game we play, we need to be the better person and create a peaceful and welcoming atmosphere for players all around the world, be it experienced players, actives players, passive players and especially new ones!
Toxic players, from my personal experience, are mostly found in FPS games and MOBAs. For MMOS, you would rarely see one in the open worlds for PVE content, you might catch on in Raids with random players.
Cheers!
Hi Maddie,
First of all, thanks for this insightful paper! Exploring the concept of gamers attached to that of a virtual persona being avatars or their own character creation, depending on the type of video games, made me reflect on my own behavior and what I usually take into consideration before creating my own character in MMOs. Despite points that you’ve mentioned such as physical appearance, characteristics or traits and so on, where we pursuit to create an ideal self of ourselves, I personally am well-aware of the line separating fiction and reality while also keeping the fun element. Additionally, I believe that online communities are not always radiating positivity but rather is nuanced with other factors within it such as toxic attitude or ‘elitist’ behavior.
On that note, I’m intrigued by the questions raised above by both Eva and Sining and I’m looking forward to your approach about them.
Hello Jess,
Thank you for your comment!
I agree with you there is a line to respect to be able to define reality and virtuality, which is where moderation comes in. I have already relied to Eva and Chen, please do take a look at the comment, thanks. I also replied to Pualhani when it comes to toxic players, please do take a look at the comment also!
Thanks.
Cheers!
Hey Maddie,
Your paper was interesting to read, As a gamer and have made friends with others from the game and it is interesting the dynamic we have. The only communication we have outside of gaming is if we are going online and that’s it but when we are online together our conversations are sometimes deep and meaningful something that I would prefer to have IRL but it’s also a positive thing because I know we will properly never meet them IRL so it can be sometimes easier to be vulnerable and just be more open.
Hello Matthew,
Thank you for your comment!
I do agree with you that most of the deep conversation comes from online friends. But I would encouraged you to meet up with your friends if some of them lives in the same country as you. Believe me, meeting your online friends IRL will strengthened the bond between you all. Do the first step into dragging them to meet IRL and I can assure you that those meaningful conversations will become a black hole and you all will discover more about one another and it also gives the assurance to some to open up more with one another. Meeting IRL will also open other ways of communication for everyone. Sometimes online friends does not want to meet as a fear of being judge for who they are IRL and not representing their online identity, so do give them the reassurance that they are not going to be judge for it.
Cheers!
Hey Maddie,
This is actually a topic I have thought about quite extensively myself, especially given the recent revelation of Meta’s ‘Metaverse’ and the emerging and rapidly advancing world of virtual reality technology, which allows people to have a more intimate connection with their avatar or online persona, potentially blurring the lines between their ‘real’ identity and their idealised online portrayal of themselves. Do you think, however, that the fact that we do not have the ability to shape our identity in the real world gives our identity more value? Does having a more fluid and malleable identity as is possible online make us less unique, in a way? It seems almost as if identity becomes arbitrary the less static it is. Cheers.
Hello Nanette!
Thank you for your comment!
I would like to disagree with you on a point you made thought. As a humanity student, I can assure you that we all possesses the ability to shape our identity. It is just that ‘identity’ is complex within itself. So in order to shape our identity, we must know who we really are. What defines us. Which is why in the previous comments, I have mentioned that an individual’s identity changes throughout their whole life. Our identity in real life does not remain static from the day we were born to the day we die. Our identity online might be static for some time but as our identity in real life changes, we eventually changes the one online as we want a stable connection between the two. As a gamer, there is no blurred lines for reality and virtuality for me. However for someone who is new to gaming and virtual worlds, a blurred line might form which is why we need to talk more about these topics and educate people on these terms. Both of our identities in real life and online have values, which is why people online are encouraged to be real, to other users and themselves and gamers on the other hands, extends their own identity in games as they are given this ability. I would also disagree with you on the point that you made where a more malleable identity makes us less unique online, if we take it in the context of the gaming world, I would see it as a plus to our extension online, you can add to your identity and work on it in real life too, which can be positive for the individual. In my personal point of view, having a strong identity to which you can add to it, makes you more unique I would say.
I would love to hear more from you and my POV on the matter!
Cheers!
Hi Maddie,
Great contribution!
This is a very expansive and complex subject matter that increases in relativity the more technology progresses into such immersive spheres of entertainment. You have done well to identify where individualization sits amongst this context of community.
First and foremost, I loved your title “Bring Me To Life”. As a Curtin graduate from this unit, I have always found the title of a piece helps shape the direction and intention for the rest of the text, and what you have chosen reads perfectly for the topic, so good start. Since you are discussing multiple individuals/ a group identity you could also refer to the subject as a collective by saying “Understanding the Gamer Identity”.
While not necessarily a stronger alterative in this case, future papers could stand to gain greater specificness by use of this determiner (“The”), as it demonstrates conviction of your ideas and adds weight to your analysis. (Minor reminder).
Your abstract was sufficient in explaining the intention of your text, though more clarity could be achieved with use of alternative words in place of repeated terms in the same sentences/phrases eg: “Individuals”.
Tighter explanations at the start, with shorter sentences could help the direction of the abstract flow easier, however I love your usage of rhetorical questions. This demonstrates consideration by offering the element of relativity to it’s reader. By asking these questions, you are appealing to a generalist audience who would most likely be seeking such answers in a paper like this; while simultaneously reaching the ‘niche’ interests in academical analysis of gaming identities through the content and context of those questions.
Personally, self reflection as a gamer is one of the most interesting contexts explored in relation to this topic, and from an analytical view point, an almost necessary angle to take regarding online advocacy. Great focus!
Also good putting a lens to something specific, but when it is the first time you are referring to something that is popular/known also by its abbreviation (abbrv.), it’s best to spell it out and put the abbreviation in the brackets, then use the abbrv. in subsequent mentioning. (Mostly for the MMO part of the abstract because you expanded the abbreviation of MMORGS at the end).
Extremely strong point regarding digital avatars as being “extensions of self”, because it allows for the conversation to expand into other territories of what I consider ‘participatory personalities’.
Ending the abstract by suggesting character customisation in digital spaces as being often a compensation on the limitations of change in the real world, really tied everything up and the content to follow was insightful, educational and a fun read.
(main text)
Instant and full opening sentence with unique framing regarding identity as having an underlying “conundrum”. This term is an interesting way to express the intersecting influences that create what we recognize as the notion of identity.
The reminders and identification of this term as being expansive, binary to public/private image and convoluted with the factors that inhabit it’s meaning, is true to the complexities of human image and internalisation.
The rules and requirements list of gaming was very insightful to the structure in which online communities operate, as conversation and play (participation) are often the main elements associated with this interaction. Monitoring, moderation and management aren’t considered quite as actively from people outside of this community so it was a very thoughtful addition and demonstrated your knowledge of how this space is occupied.
Ending the first paragraph with discussion on the sensation of safety in the digital space does well to suggest why someone sinks into this identity. Your following paragraph explaining what exactly constitutes as a gamer helps provide wider context into immersion and sense of belonging that may dictate an individual’s place in this dimension.
Really strong and easily digestible comparison between rigid, curated identities of Linkedin and fluid, free, creative multiple images of self in gaming. This is an incredible contrast between professional and as you describe, experimental’ concepts. This is one of the strong, more surprising notes as it transcends the immediate thought of this topic, to other factors such as style, speech etc. that become attributing qualities of identity recognition/ association.
Words such as ‘discovery’, ‘multiple points of view’ and ‘capable’ encapsulates so much of what we recognize to be the value of being a gamer, and the quite sentimental ending humanizes a digital context. Well done.
Your conclusion does well to summarise your main points, including the addition of other game types to suggest a transcendence in these principals of identity and community, but your strongest point remains in your first (conclusive) sentence.
Great effort and great read.
Good luck with your studies!
– Renae
(Mass Communications graduate)
Hi Maddie, this is an exciting topic, especially considering the advances in the virtual reality field, which gives people more bonding and connection with their online persona. This helps them in creating a new identity online and being someone else. But do you think our real identity has more value and uniqueness as it is not fluid and malleable as our online avatars?
You can read my paper below:
https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2022/csm/374/social-media-helped-in-creating-terror-and-panic-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-in-mauritius/
Thank you.
Hello Maddie,
Firstly, I really enjoyed reading your paper and I find your title very original and interesting. Your discussion is also very insightful as as someone who would not identify herself as a gamer, I was able to understand what it takes to be identify as one and as well as the things you mentioned surrounding the personality of a gamer. I particularly enjoyed your discussion about the ‘self’. This made me wonder, what are the impacts of games on the representation of gender, which might affect the identity of gamers?
I’ve seen some games which represent female in a rather masochistic way and i’d like to know your views about that.
On another note, you might want to give my paper a read, I have discussed the representation of trans people in Mauritius on TikTok. https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2022/ioa/53/online-advocacy-and-tiktok-the-representation-of-transgender-people-in-mauritius/
Thank you.
Best,
Julie
Hello Marie,
Thank you for your comment!
I would say that games has no impact on the representations of gender. Games are really gender fluid. While boys can be more macho in real life, they certainly let out their feminine side in MMOS games. For example, I play an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), called Guild Wars 2, where the fashion of your character forms part of the game play and I can tell you that boys, have a better fashion wars than most girls. And if we look at it on the FPS (First Person Shooter) type of games, characters are not gender locked, that means you can play whoever you want to, you can be a girl playing a male character and vice versa. As well as girls can be more aggressive in games compared to boys.
Horror games or gore games has this standard of portraying female characters very sexually or in a masochist way. Even though this issue bothers me at times, it is all a marketing strategy by game developers. I must also say that, I do love some masochist character designs. It makes the character looks very “baddie” and not submissives like most games would do to female characters. I still do believe as a girl primarily then a gamer, that some games still needs to have a limit on the way they make the character design for females in games, because this also has an impact on the other side of the world in our societies.
Cheers!