Living in the World of Warcraft: Construction of Virtual Identities Among Online Gamers

CONSTRUCTION OF VIRTUAL IDENTITY
ON THE MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER
ONLINE ROLE PLAYING GAME
March 20, 2008
Jung, Dea-Woung

Statement of the ProblemMarket
1. What is the profile of the online gamers?
A. Demographic profile
a. Nationality
b. Gender
c. Age
3.4
4.5
6.1
7.7
9.3
10.9
12.1
13.0
$0
$2
$4
$6
$8
$10
$12
$14
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
WW Online Game Market ($B)
Data: DFC Intelligence (2007)
Online game market
reaches $11 billion
on Jun, 2009

World of Warcraft(WoW)
- 63% market share
- 11 million subscribers in the world
Market
- several thousands of players can play
WoW at the same time e.g.
- 10 races, 10 classes and 13 professions

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
Jobs & Skills

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
Jobs & Skills
Professions

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
e. Choosing a jobs and leveling up skills
Jobs & Skills

Identity and role in MMORPG
- Identity is defined by motivation, personality, and personal
connection. Essentially, it is a set of beliefs and goals that
inform why a player would do the things that their Role lays
out.
- In MMORPG, Role defines a character's abilities and
constraints. It’s like a map of the virtual life to players as
they play
Market
Importance

Statement of the Problem
Problem 1. What is the profile of the online gamers?
a. Nationality
b. Gender
c. Age
Market
Importanc
e

B. Gaming profile
a. number of hours of playing WoW
b. number of online games which gamers
played before WoW
c. number of Characters in WoW
d. the reasons for playing online game
Market
Importance
Problem

2. How do online gamers construct their virtual identities?
a. Acquisition of game items
b. Customizing of character
c. Joining a guild
d. Building and maintaining relationships
e. Choosing jobs and leveling up skills
f. Participating in social activities
Market
Importance
Problem

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
AND PROCEDURES
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

Research Method
This study is both quantitative and qualitative research.
- Convenience sampling
- Snowball sampling
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

The subjects of the study
1. Survey questionnaires
- Researcher had 41 respondents for survey questionnaires
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

The criteria of survey questionnaires set in the selection of
respondents are following :
a. Should have been playing WoW for more than two months.
b. Should be playing in any realm in any server.
c. Could be of any nationality, age and gender
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

2. In-depth interview
The researcher set criteria of in-depth interview which
included the following:
a. Should have been playing WoW for more than a year.
b. Should be playing in any realm in any server.
c. Could be of any nationality, age and gender
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

A survey questionnaire is divided into three categories
a. the profile of the online gamers
b. the influences from online in constructing gamers
virtual identities
c. the influences from offline in constructing gamers
virtual identities
It is consisted with 31 questions that aimed to generate in-depth
insights on how the participants construct virtual identities.
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

Name Gender Age Nationality Date of
interview
Time
G1 Male 25 Korean March 1, 2009 11:30am –
1:00 pm
G2 Male 27 Korean March 3, 2009 4:00 pm –
6:00 pm
G3 Male 27 Korean March 2, 2009 06:00 pm-
07:50
G4 Male 18 Filipino-
American
February 24,
2009
8:30 pm –
11:30pm
G5 Male 18 Filipino-
American
March 3, 2009 08:50 pm –
10:30
G6 Male 27 Korean March 3, 2009 06:20 pm-
08:00 pm
G7 Male 27 Korean February 26,
2009
9:00 pm –
11: 50 pm
G8 Male 27 Korean February 25,
a2009
04:30 pm –
06:00 pm
G9 Male 18 Korean March 2, 2009 09:00 pm –
10:30 pm
Table 1. Participants’ Interview Schedules and the Codes
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Conclusion
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

Summary of Findings
Conclusion
1.There are 41 respondents who participated in survey questionnaires
and only nine participated in the in-depth interviews.
2. The respondents want to play WoW simply to enjoy game.
3. Acquiring good items in WoW influences construction
of virtual identity of players.
4. Strength of character influences the relationship with other players. If
players are strong, that player can get attention from other players.
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

5. Characters’ appearances are related to their personalities in WoW.
For the players, the appearances of character are more important
than their characters’ names.
6. Players don’t consider their characters as extensions of their identities
in reality.
7. Players think that their personality in WoW partly reveals their personality
in reality.
8.Players join a guild primarily because they want to have interaction
with other gamers.
Conclusion
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

9. Players don’t normally like to follow the rules and regulations set
by the guild.
10. Players establish relationships through helping others and through
chatting.
11. Unlike other chat modes, the private chat mode is used by the players
primarily to maintain relationship.
12. WoW players acknowledge their rights in WoW and they set rights and
rules of their own.
Conclusion
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

13 WoW players evaluate other players using realistic moral norms.
14. Most players play WoW with their friends in reality.
15. The players’ friends in WoW are not that closed like their friends in
reality.
16. Players choose the jobs and skills that they enjoy; the same way that
the gamers claim to play simply to enjoy the game
Conclusion
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

17. Players are not really interested in participating in social activities like
online and offline events.
Conclusion
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

Conclusions
1. In WoW, online activities take important roles in the construction of the
gamers’ virtual identities; offline activities are not perceived as
significant factors in constructing virtual identities. When player creates
his/her character, there is no identity at all.
2. WoW players construct their virtual identities primarily through
interactions with other gamers. However, it was concluded that WoW
players basically interact with other players to achieve personal goals
like getting information, accomplishing quest etc.
Conclusion
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

Conclusions
3. There are as many virtual identities as there are characters in WoW.
This implies that a gamer who has several characters can also have the
same number of virtual identities because identities depend largely on
changing roles and experiences of characters.
4. Online relationship between gamers do not extend to reality while
a gamer’s relationship with real friends are extended to the online game.
Conclusion
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

Conclusions
5. Aside from the gamers’ interests, gamers choose a job also because of
their curiosity and desire to experience new things; After all, gamers
basically play WoW to have fun.
6. WoW gamers, who are found to be mostly adults, don’t prefer
joining famous guilds because of time-bound limitations.
Conclusion
Market
Importance
Problem
Method

II. Profile of participants
14~20
21~25
26~30
31~35
11
43
23
7%
56%
10%
27%
a. Age
- 83% of the respondents of survey questionnaires are
at least 21years old.
- more adults, who have the capacity to pay the
fee, play the game.
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
p.46

Male
Female
35
85%
6
15%
b. Gender
- 85% of WOW players are males and
only 15% of players are females.
- Usually male players get their satisfaction
from achieving or accomplishing certain things in game
- Female players get their satisfaction from fun or releasing stress.
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

1-3
months
4-6
months
7 months
-1 year
more than
year
29
71%
5
12%
3
7%
4
10%
b. The Length of Time Playing WoW
- 88% of respondents play WoW at least 4 months.
- The relationship in WoW is possible only through
continuous interaction like in reality
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

1~10
hours
11~20
hours
21~30
hours
more than
31 hours
16
39%
13
32%
7
17%
5
12%
d. Playing Time a week
- More than 29% of players are playing WoW for
more than 20 hours a week.
- Playing more than 3 hours a day, players have
high risks to have online game addiction
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

1 ~ 2
3 ~ 4
5 ~ 6
more
than 7
19
46%
8
20%
11
27%3
7%
1 ~ 2
3 ~ 4
5 ~ 6
more
than 7
19
46%
15
37%
3
7%
4
10%
e. The Numbers of Online Games which was played before playing WoW
- 80% of players play 3 or more online games
before playing WoW.
- Party play and communication system - G2
- Real international game – G9
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

1 ~ 2
3 ~ 4
5 ~ 6
more
than 7
19
46%
8
20%
11
27%3
7%
f. The Number of characters player have
- 93% of players have at least 3 characters.
- Players want to experience new things which
other characters are capable of.- G1 G2, G3,
G4, G5, G6, G7 and G9
1 ~ 2
3 ~ 4
5 ~ 6
more
than 7
19
46%
15
37%
3
7%
4
10%
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Acquisition
g. The Reasons for Playing WoW ( Multiple responses)
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Reasons Frequency %
Simply to enjoy the game 33 80%
To spend leisure time 23 56%
- 80% of respondents said that their major reason
to play WoW is simply to enjoy the game.
- Online game is already considered as an activity
to enjoy their leisure time
- their satisfaction, relaxation, and creative participation
for a certain society apart from the duties and forces
p.46

Acquisition
a. Acquisition of items
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Items

Table 3 Acquisition of game items
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Frequency %
1. I acquire unique items to make my character famous to other pyers. 12 29%
2. I am used to making my own items using my professions. 11 26%
3. I collect good items to make my character strong. 38 93%
Items
p.53

- Online, a player can show only his/her character to other players.
- Character’s strength is interrelated with items and levels.
- 93% of respondents said that they acquire items to make
their characters strong
- Items are related to character’s strength and character’s strength
influences a player’s relationship.
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Items

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
- There are three ways to acquire items - G3, G7 and G2,
- The characters’ items can be one of the best ways
to express one’s personality.
- The reactions of other players represent how other gamers
perceive the player in the virtual world.
Items

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
b. Customizing of character
character
Items

Frequency %
1. I don’t customize my character for good outfits because my
character’s physical appearances cannot represent my personality in
cyber space.
16 39%
2. When other faction attacks my character, I attack other faction to
pay back for the damage they have done to my character.
24 59%
3. My character’s personality in WoW is different from my personality
in real life.
7 17%
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Table 4 Customizing of Character
p.55
character
Items

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
-The characters are tools to execute players’ wills and players are
leveling up their characters with interactions with others
- A character serves as the connection between
reality and virtual world
-In WoW, players are seeing what characters are seeing
and they feel what characters feel through the interface.
character
Items

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
- Only 17% of respondents said that their personality online is
different from their personality in reality.
This is “I” as a part of one’s identity
- 39% of respondents of survey questionnaires said that
their character’s physical appearances cannot represent
their personality in WoW
- The items which the players’ characters wear show
what they are capable of and who they are
character
Items

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
- Most players have more than one character.
In WoW, based on characters’ job, players can
be sure of what role they will take.
- Other players expect a certain role of a character
to play in WoW by a character’s job.
character
Items
- If a player has many characters, it is possible
that a player has several virtual identities.

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
- when players are creating their characters, it doesn’t mean that
they have their virtual identities at all

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
c. Joining a guild
character
Items
Guild

Frequency %
1. I exchange useful information about WoW with guild members. 23 56%
9. I join my guild because the members are so friendly; we treat
each other like family.
28 68%
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
p.59
Guild
Table 5 Joining Guild

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
- Although characters use their IDs as the names, their ID has
an identity in the world of WoW. Because of continuous relationship with
others and virtual community.
- When players join a guild, the anonymity players
have in virtual world become weak
- While players are playing Wow, they feel a sense of
social belongingness. In WoW, Guild is the basic social units which
players can be considered cyber home.

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
- Guild make players feels a sense of presence online.
- 68% of respondents joined guild because their guild mates
treat them like a member of family
- In friendly guild, player can be closed with his guild mates easily – G7
- friendly guild doesn’t have many regulations and rules,
compared with the famous guild – G7

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
- Online, the sense of belongingness of a player in guild is quite weak.
Relationships

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
D. building and maintaining relationships

Frequency %
1. I have friends in WoW 23 56%
8., When my guild members ask for my help to go hunting to complete
the quest, I am happy to help them.
25 61%
9. I like to answer the questions from my guild members about WoW. 24 59%
10. I don’t hesitate to share my gold to fellow guild members and to low
level players.
18 44%
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
11. I enjoy “boosting” a low level character in my guild. 23 56%
13. I respect other player’s rights in WoW. 32 78%
15. I apply realistic moral norms (like honesty, responsibility, and so on)
to evaluate other players in WoW.
23 56%
18. I play WoW with my friends. 27 66%
Relationships
Table 6 building and maintaining relationships
p.62

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
- The result of players’ actions is not a victory, it is
cooperation.
- when players are helping each other, they can see
other players’ personalities and then they evaluate
other players – G3
- 61% of players are like to help other players.
Each player’s role is different. Thus to fill up that
insufficient parts, players cooperated with each
other.

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
- 0nly 32% of respondents said that their friends
in WoW are closed like friends in real life.
- In WoW, there are two ways a player can
communicate with other players.
- a player steals the monster which other players
are hunting, it is considered rude or a sign of lack
of good manner.

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
- Chatting is the most important way to communicate with
other players in WoW.
- players uses certain words like DPS(DPS
Damage Per Second), BMD(Bonus Magic
Damage), and BMH(Bonus Magic Healing) while
he plays WoW. – G9
- There are three types of chat mode which are
normal chatting, guild chatting, and whisper
system or private chatting.

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
- Chatting is one of the best ways to expose oneself and
express one’s feelings and opinions.
- Chatting is one of the ways to construct a virtual
identity.
- private chatting mode shows quite different characteristic
than other chat modes. – G2 and G4

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
- In WoW, thousands of players are in one server.
- 78% of respondents said that WoW players have
their rights and 56% of them said they apply
realistic moral norms like honesty and
responsibility to evaluate other players in WOW.
- online game reproduces the happenings in reality and
shows humans life online.

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
- The rules can be a little bit different each server. – G3

Frequency %
1. I choose a popular job because it can help me enter the guild easily
and find party to play with.
5 12%
2. I choose my job because it is related to my personal interests. 35 85%
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Table 7 Choosing a jobs and leveling up skills
p.67
Guild
Relationships
Jobs & Skills

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
Jobs & Skills
Activities
- In reality, jobs and skills people have are very
important because it will decide people’s life
style and capability. It is the same in WoW.
- 85% of respondents said that they choose
their job because it is related to their personal
interests (see Table 7) and according to Table2,
80% of participants are playing WOW to
simply enjoy the game.
- The jobs and skills define the players’ roles in
WoW. This is one of the ways to construct
their virtual identity

Frequency %
1. I often participate in online events in WoW (including guild events). 17 41%
2. I often participate in offline events about WoW in reality (like WoW
convention, offline guild meeting and so on).
8 19%
3. I always organize new activities to enjoy WoW with other players. 15 37%
4. Other players often evaluate my personality in WoW. 16 39%
5. I participate in interactive events on the official web page of WoW and
guild homepage.
11 26%
Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
Guild
Relationships
Jobs & Skills
Activities
f. Participating in social activities
Table 8 Participating in social activities

Problem
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
character
Items
- In online game, virtual community like guild has
weak sense of belongingness
- 19% of respondents said that they often participate in
offline events.
- when G3 met his friends in WoW in reality, his
friends show different behaviors from what they
showed online.
Guild
Relationships
Jobs & Skills

Statement of the ProblemMarket
1. What is the profile of the online gamers?
a. Nationality
b. Gender
c. Age
Market Share by Genre
Data: DFC Intelligence
Online Game Revenue by Genre 2007
50%
10%
4%
4%
22%
10%
MMOG
FPS/ Action
SFR
Strategy/ Sim
Children
Casual

Problem
Chapter 3
The researcher sent survey questionnaires to 178
WoW players through e-mail.
Among 178 people e-mailed, the researcher got 7
replies which all qualified to the criteria set by the
researcher.
Data collection
Method
sampling
Subjects
Instrument
Data collection

Problem The researcher also posted the validated questionnaire
on three popular fan sites of the World of Warcraft in
Korea.
Chapter 3
WoW Somegate
Method
sampling
Subjects
Instrument
Data collection

Problem
WoW Inven
Chapter 3
WoW Meca
The invitation letter was viewed by 1,375
people but the researcher got only 9 replies.
Method
sampling
Subjects
Instrument
Data collection

Problem
Chapter 3
Through this snowball sampling, the researcher got an
additional 25 respondents. Thus respondents of survey
questionnaires were 41.
Among 29, only 10 respondents actually participated in the
individual in-depth interviews.
However, one respondent replied after the researcher finished
all of the in-depth interviews thus that respondent was excluded.
Among 41 people who answered the questionnaires,
29 respondents play WoW for more than a year.
Method
sampling
Subjects
Instrument
Data collection

Problem
Chapter 3
Interviews were conducted through the Yahoo Messenger
and Nateon Messenger between February 22, 2009 and
March 3, 2009..
The researcher used codes in the presentation of data to ensure
confidentiality of the data generated .
Method
sampling
Subjects
Instrument
Data collection

Living in the World of Warcraft: Construction of Virtual Identities Among Online Gamers

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Living in the World of Warcraft: Construction of Virtual Identities Among Online Gamers