Contextualizing Gaming Practices: MMORPG Players and 'Real Life'

TL;DRAbstract

From a game studies perspective this thesis takes a closer look at the way Massively Multi-player Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) players construct and make use of the concept ‘real life’ in their communication with other players. The terminology, used by both players and researchers, to discuss online gaming experiences depart from presupposed notions of ‘real life’, ‘real world’, ‘ordinary life’ or ‘everyday life’ which are contrasted to the game world. An analysis of player communication on a role-play discussion forum of the MMORPG World of Warcraft shows that concepts used to communicate about online gaming experiences indicate a separation between an online game environment and an offline non-game environment. While the concepts used to communicate imply a separation, the issues discussed by these concepts show the strong interrelation between game and non-game environments and refute a clear separation.
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