Communication, Coordination, and Camaraderie in World of Warcraft

Abstract

In applying traditional game theory to multiplayer computer games, not enough attention has been given to actual player practice in local settings. To do this, the author describes a team of players in the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft. This motley group learned how to defeat an end-game dungeon through collaborative improvements on communication and coordination. It focused on sustaining and building player relationships and learning together rather than the accepted norm of obtaining magical items. Trust was forged through a desire to ``hang out and have fun'' and was evidenced by the joviality of their communication. The group's ability to reflect and be consistent about its desires for camaraderie allowed it to recover from a poor performing night, which threatened to disband the group. The team's success depended on its ability to define and retain a coherent group identity and establish shared social incentives rather than individual incentives for participation.