The Varying Structures and Social Influences of Online Gaming Communities

Abstract

Massively multiplayer online games (MMOG) often draw together a large amount of players often from many different locations around the world, each of which have to cooperate in order to achieve the goals set for themselves personally and within their self-constructed groups, also known as guilds. This study focuses on the communication tools players use, the unique culture experienced by members in online communities and interactions between the players as well as others involved both online and offline. Also investigated are how members become part of and remain in a group and the components that can nurture or hinder the success of a guild within an online game over an extended period of time both from observations and qualitative field interviews with current players and members of the communities involved.