CONSTRUCTION OF VIRTUAL IDENTITY

ON THE MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER

ONLINE ROLE PLAYING GAME

Jung, Dea-Woung

March 20, 2008

 WW Online Game Market
Marke Statement of the Problem
($B)
t $14
13.0

$12
1. What is the profile of the online 12.1

gamers?
10.9

$10
A. Demographic9.3profile Online game
$8 7.7 market
6.1
$6
a. Nationality
4.5
reaches $11
$4 3.4 billion
b. Gender
$2
on Jun, 2009
$0 c. Age
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Data: DFC Intelligence

(2007)
Marke
t World of Warcraft(WoW)

- 63% market share

- 11 million subscribers in the

world
- 10 races, 10 classes and 13
professions
- several thousands of players can
play WoW at the same time e.g.
Classes
 Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
Jobs &
Skills
 Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
Jobs &
Skills
 Professions
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
Jobs &
Skills
 e. Choosing a jobs and leveling up skills
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
Jobs &
Skills
 Marke Identity and role in
t
Importan
ce
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
 Marke Statement of the Problem
t
Importa
nce
Proble 1. What is the profile of the online
m gamers?
A. Demographic profile

a. Nationality

b. Gender

c. Age
 Market
Importan B. Gaming profile
ce
Proble
m
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
2. How do online gamers construct their virtual
Importan
identities?
ce
Proble a. Acquisition of game items
m
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

Conceptual Framework
 Market
Importan
ce
Proble
m
Method
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
AND PROCEDURES
 Market Research Method
Importan
ce
Proble
m
Metho
This study is both quantitative and qualitative research.
d

- Convenience sampling

- Snowball sampling
 Market The subjects of the study
Importan
ce
Proble
m
Metho
1. Survey questionnaires
d

- Researcher had 41 respondents for survey questionnaires

 Market
The criteria of survey questionnaires set in the selection of
Importan respondents are following :
ce
Proble
m
Metho
d 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 2. In-depth interview
Importan
ce The researcher set criteria of in-depth interview which
Proble
included the following:
m
Metho
d
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 A survey questionnaire is divided into three categories
Importan
a. the profile of the online gamers
ce
Proble
m
Metho b. the influences from online in constructing gamers
d 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.
 Name Gender Age Nationality Date of Time
Market interview

G1 Male 25 Korean March 1, 2009 11:30am –

Importan 1:00 pm

ce
Proble
G2 Male 27 Korean March 3, 2009 4:00 pm –
6:00 pm

m
Metho G3 Male 27 Korean March 2, 2009 06:00 pm-
07:50
d G4 Male 18 Filipino- February 24, 8:30 pm –
American 2009 11:30pm

G5 Male 18 Filipino- March 3, 2009 08:50 pm –

American 10:30

G6 Male 27 Korean March 3, 2009 06:20 pm-

08:00 pm

G7 Male 27 Korean February 26, 9:00 pm –

2009 11: 50 pm

G8 Male 27 Korean February 25, 04:30 pm –

a2009 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
Importan
ce
Proble
m
Method
Conclusio
n SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
 Market
Summary of
Findings
Importan 1.There are 41 respondents who participated in survey questionnaires
ce
Proble and only nine participated in the in-depth interviews.
m
Method
Conclusi 2. The respondents want to play WoW simply to enjoy game.
on

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
5. Characters’ appearances are related to their personalities in WoW.
Importan For the players, the appearances of character are more important
ce than their characters’ names.
Proble
m
Method
Conclusi 6. Players don’t consider their characters as extensions of their identities
on 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.
 Market
Importan 9. Players don’t normally like to follow the rules and regulations set
ce
Proble by the guild.
m
Method
Conclusi 10. Players establish relationships through helping others and through
on 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.
 Market
Importan 13 WoW players evaluate other players using realistic moral norms.
ce
Proble
m
Method
14. Most players play WoW with their friends in reality.
Conclusi
on

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
 Market
17. Players are not really interested in participating in social activities like
Importan online and offline events.
ce
Proble
m
Method
Conclusi
on
 Market
Conclusions
Importan
ce
Proble
1. In WoW, online activities take important roles in the construction of the
m
Method gamers’ virtual identities; offline activities are not perceived as
Conclusi significant factors in constructing virtual identities. When player creates
on 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.
 Market
Conclusions
Importan
ce
Proble
3. There are as many virtual identities as there are characters in WoW.
m
Method This implies that a gamer who has several characters can also have the
Conclusi same number of virtual identities because identities depend largely on
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.
 Market
Conclusions
Importan
ce
Proble
m
Method 5. Aside from the gamers’ interests, gamers choose a job also because of
their curiosity and desire to experience new things; After all, gamers
Conclusi
basically play WoW to have fun.
on

6. WoW gamers, who are found to be mostly adults, don’t prefer

joining famous guilds because of time-bound limitations.
Jung, Dea-Woung
 II. Profile of participants p.46
Proble
m a. Age
Chapter
3
Chapter 3 4
14~20
7% 10%
4 23
11
21~25
56% 27% 26~30
31~35

- 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.
 b. Gender
Proble
m
Chapter 6 35
15%
3 85%
Male
Chapter
4

Female

- 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.

 b. The Length of Time Playing WoW
Proble 1- 3
months
m
Chapter 5
29
3 71%
12%
4- 6
Chapter 4 3 months
4 10% 7%
7 months
- 1 year

more than
year

- 88% of respondents play WoW at least 4 months.

- The relationship in WoW is possible only through

continuous interaction like in reality
 d. Playing Time a week
Proble
1~10
m
Chapter 5
12% hours
3 7 16
11~20
Chapter 17% 39%
13 hours
4 32% 21~30
hours
more than
31 hours

- 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
 e. The Numbers of Online Games which was played before playing WoW
Proble 8
1~2
1~2
m
Chapter 19 3 20%
15 46% 7% 3~4
3 37% 11
19 3~4
Chapter 3
7%
27%
46%
4 4 5~6
10%
5~6
more
more7
than
than 7

- 80% of players play 3 or more online games

before playing WoW.

- Party play and communication system - G2

- Real international game – G9

 f. The Number of characters player have
Proble 8
1~2
m
Chapter 19
20%
3
1~2
1546% 7% 3~4
3 37%
11
Chapter 3
7%
27%19 3~4
4 4
46% 5~6
10%
5~6
more
than 7
more
than 7

- 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
 g. The Reasons for Playing WoW ( Multiple responses)p.46
Acquisition
Proble
Reasons Frequency %
m
Chapter
3 Simply to enjoy the game 33 80%
Chapter
To spend leisure time 23 56%
4

- 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
 a. Acquisition of items
Acquisition
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items
 a. Acquisition of items
Acquisition
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items
 p.53
Proble
m
Chapter Frequency %
3
Chapter
1. I acquire unique items to make my character famous to other pyers. 12 29%
4Items
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%

Table 3 Acquisition of game items

Proble
m - Online, a player can show only his/her character to other players.
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items
- 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.
Proble
m
Chapter - There are three ways to acquire items - G3, G7 and G2,
3
Chapter
4Items

- 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.
 b. Customizing of character
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
er
 p.55
Proble Frequency %
m
Chapter
3 1. I don’t customize my character for good outfits because my 16 39%
Chapter character’s physical appearances cannot represent my personality in
4Items cyber space.

charact 2. When other faction attacks my character, I attack other faction to 24 59%
er pay back for the damage they have done to my character.
3. My character’s personality in WoW is different from my personality 7 17%
in real life.

Table 4 Customizing of Character

Proble -The characters are tools to execute players’ wills and players are
m
Chapter leveling up their characters with interactions with others
3
Chapter
4Items

charact - A character serves as the connection between

er reality and virtual world

-In WoW, players are seeing what characters are seeing

and they feel what characters feel through the interface.
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
er
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
er
Proble - Only 17% of respondents said that their personality online is
m
Chapter different from their personality in reality.
3 This is “I” as a part of one’s identity
Chapter
4Items

charact
er - 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
Proble - Most players have more than one character.
m
Chapter In WoW, based on characters’ job, players can
3 be sure of what role they will take.
Chapter
4Items

charact - Other players expect a certain role of a character

er to play in WoW by a character’s job.

- If a player has many characters, it is possible

that a player has several virtual identities.
Proble - when players are creating their characters, it doesn’t mean that
m
Chapter they have their virtual identities at all
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
er
 c. Joining a guild
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
 c. Joining a guild
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
 p.59
Proble
m
Chapter Frequency %
3
Chapter
4Items
1. I exchange useful information about WoW with guild members. 23 56%
charact 9. I join my guild because the members are so friendly; we treat 28 68%
erGuil each other like family.
d
Table 5 Joining Guild
Proble - Although characters use their IDs as the names, their ID has
m
Chapter an identity in the world of WoW. Because of continuous relationship with
3 others and virtual community.
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil - When players join a guild, the anonymity players
have in virtual world become weak
d

- 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.
Proble - Guild make players feels a sense of presence online.
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items - 68% of respondents joined guild because their guild mates
charact treat them like a member of family
erGuil
d
- 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
 Proble
m
Chapter - Online, the sense of belongingness of a player in guild is quite weak.
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
 D. building and maintaining
Proble relationships
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
 D. building and maintaining
Proble relationships
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
 D. building and maintaining
Proble relationships
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
 p.62
Proble Frequency %

m
Chapter
1. I have friends in WoW 23 56%
3
Chapter 8., When my guild members ask for my help to go hunting to complete 25 61%
4Items the quest, I am happy to help them.

charact 9. I like to answer the questions from my guild members about WoW. 24 59%
erGuil 10. I don’t hesitate to share my gold to fellow guild members and to 18 44%
low level players.
d
Relationsh 11. I enjoy “boosting” a low level character in my guild. 23 56%
ips 13. I respect other player’s rights in WoW. 32 78%
15. I apply realistic moral norms (like honesty, responsibility, and so on) 23 56%
to evaluate other players in WoW.
18. I play WoW with my friends. 27 66%

Table 6 building and maintaining

relationships
 Proble - The result of players’ actions is not a victory, it is
m cooperation.
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items
- 61% of players are like to help other players. Each
charact player’s role is different. Thus to fill up that
erGuil
insufficient parts, players cooperated with each
d
Relationsh other.
ips

- when players are helping each other, they can see

other players’ personalities and then they evaluate
other players – G3
 Proble - 0nly 32% of respondents said that their friends
m in WoW are closed like friends in real life.
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items
- In WoW, there are two ways a player can
charact communicate with other players.
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
- a player steals the monster which other players
are hunting, it is considered rude or a sign of lack
of good manner.
 Proble - Chatting is the most important way to communicate with
m other players in WoW.
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items
- players uses certain words like DPS(DPS
charact Damage Per Second), BMD(Bonus Magic
erGuil Damage), and BMH(Bonus Magic Healing) while
d
Relationsh he plays WoW. – G9
ips

- There are three types of chat mode which are

normal chatting, guild chatting, and whisper
system or private chatting.
 Proble - Chatting is one of the best ways to expose oneself and
m express one’s feelings and opinions.
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items
- Chatting is one of the ways to construct a virtual
charact identity.
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips

- private chatting mode shows quite different characteristic

than other chat modes. – G2 and G4
 Proble - In WoW, thousands of players are in one server.
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items
- 78% of respondents said that WoW players have
charact their rights and 56% of them said they apply
erGuil realistic moral norms like honesty and
d
Relationsh responsibility to evaluate other players in WOW.
ips

- online game reproduces the happenings in reality and

shows humans life online.
 Proble - The rules can be a little bit different each server. – G3
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
 e. Choosing a jobs and leveling up skills
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
Jobs &
Skills
 e. Choosing a jobs and leveling up skills
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
Jobs &
Skills
 e. Choosing a jobs and leveling up skills
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
Jobs &
Skills
 e. Choosing a jobs and leveling up skills
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
Jobs &
Skills
 e. Choosing a jobs and leveling up skills
Proble
m
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact
erGuil
d
Relationsh
ips
Jobs &
Skills
 p.67
Proble
m
Chapter Frequency %
3
Chapter 1. I choose a popular job because it can help me enter the guild easily 5 12%
4Items and find party to play with.
2. I choose my job because it is related to my personal interests. 35 85%
charact
erGuil
Table 7 Choosing a jobs and leveling up skills
d
Relationsh
ips
Jobs &
Skills
 Proble - In reality, jobs and skills people have are very
m important because it will decide people’s life
Chapter
3 style and capability. It is the same in WoW.
Chapter
4Items
- 85% of respondents said that they choose
charact their job because it is related to their personal
erGuil interests (see Table 7) and according to
d
Relationsh Table2, 80% of participants are playing WOW
ips to simply enjoy the game.
Jobs &
Skills
Activities
- The jobs and skills define the players’ roles in
WoW. This is one of the ways to construct
their virtual identity
 f. Participating in social activities
Proble
m
Chapter Frequency %
3
Chapter
4Items
1. I often participate in online events in WoW (including guild events). 17 41%
charact 2. I often participate in offline events about WoW in reality (like WoW 8 19%
erGuil convention, offline guild meeting and so on).
d 3. I always organize new activities to enjoy WoW with other players. 15 37%
Relationsh
ips 4. Other players often evaluate my personality in WoW. 16 39%
Jobs &
5. I participate in interactive events on the official web page of WoW 11 26%
Skills
Activities and guild homepage.

Table 8 Participating in social activities

 Proble - In online game, virtual community like
m guild has weak sense of belongingness
Chapter
3
Chapter
4Items

charact - 19% of respondents said that they often participate in

erGuil
offline events.
d
Relationsh
ips
Jobs &
Skills - when G3 met his friends in WoW in reality, his
friends show different behaviors from what they
showed online.
Marke Market Share
Statement byProblem
of the Genre
t
Online Game Revenue by Genre 2007
1. What is the profile of the online
22% gamers?
MMOG
A. Demographic profile
FPS/ Action
4% SFR
a. Nationality 50%
4% Strategy/ Sim
b. Gender
10% Children

c. Age Casual
10%

Data: DFC
Intelligence
 Data collection
Proble The researcher sent survey questionnaires to 178
m
Chapter WoW players through e-mail.
3
Method
samplin
g
Subject
s
Instrumen
t
Data
collection

Among 178 people e-mailed, the researcher got 7

replies which all qualified to the criteria set by the
researcher.
 Proble The researcher also posted the validated
m questionnaire
Chapter
3 on three popular fan sites of the World of
Method Warcraft in
samplin Korea.
g
Subject
s
Instrumen
t
Data
collection

WoW Somegate
 Proble
m
Chapter
3
Method
samplin
g
Subject
s
Instrumen
t
Data
collection

WoW Meca WoW Inven

The invitation letter was viewed by

1,375
people but the researcher got only
9 replies.
 Proble Through this snowball sampling, the researcher got an
m
Chapter additional 25 respondents. Thus respondents of survey
3 questionnaires were 41.
Method
samplin
g
Subject Among 41 people who answered the questionnaires,
s
Instrumen 29 respondents play WoW for more than a year.
t
Data
collection
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.
 Interviews were conducted through the Yahoo Messenger
Proble
and Nateon Messenger between February 22, 2009 and
m
Chapter March 3, 2009..
3
Method
samplin
g
Subject
s
Instrumen
t
Data
collection

The researcher used codes in the presentation of data to ensure

confidentiality of the data generated .