Happiness in Gielinor: modelling social play and well-being in online third places
Date
2023
Authors
Nixon, William Cody, author
Snodgrass, Jeffrey G., advisor
Kwiatkowski, Lynn, committee member
Steger, Michael, committee member
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Abstract
As the world slowed during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, many remained in their homes and avoided social contact outside of performing essential activities. In lieu of everyday social connections with friends and family, people turned to online worlds to satisfy basic needs like that for social belonging. Internet-based social interactions allowed for the expansion of many online social spaces, particularly those facilitating leisure activities (such as online video games) and social connection (social media outlets, messaging applications, etc.). To examine the effects of a pandemic-related "online social migration," ethnographic fieldwork and psychological anthropological interviews (including free list and pile sort elicitations) were conducted within the world of Gielinor, home to the players of the MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) Old School Runescape, with a focus on how players interacted with others and the impact of the game environment's normative "culture" (in the sense of socially learned understandings about the proper and best way to enjoy this game). By inhabiting this competitive, supportive, and encouraging virtual world environment, players placed significant value on their in-game social connections, and these relationships were found to be crucial not only within the game world but also in players' real-world lives. Further, this game environment allowed for gamers to foster a sense of well-being and happiness in the absence of real-world third places (such as bars and coffeehouses) and in-person social interactions, suggesting the emerging importance during this health crisis of online third places.
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Subject
social gaming
third places
MMORPG
well-being
social play