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Cited by 13Digital Games and MediaEducational Games and GamificationMedia and Digital Communication

Player Communities in Multiplayer Online Games: A Systematic Review of Empirical Research

Open access
Warmelink, Harald, Siitonen, Marko·2011·DiGRA Digital Library
DOI 10.26503/dl.v2011i1.550
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Abstract

Numerous researchers have written about the social dynamics of player communities in multiplayer online games. Following a systematic review of refereed empirical research publications from 2000-2010, this article synthesizes the key methods and concepts researchers have used to study and characterize player communities, as well as the aspects and operationalizations they have concentrated on. The analysis shows that qualitative approaches have been more popular than quantitative. The concepts used to characterize player communities were often not clearly defined or overlapped in meaning. Yet they revealed a prevalence of micro (groups or teams), meso (guilds or organizations) and macro (communities and networks) perspectives. Eighteen different aspects and operationalizations of player communities were identified. Six of these were clearly most popular, i.e. social structuring, rationale, culture & social norms, used ICTs, number of members and time of existence. The article concludes with several perspectives and suggestions for future research.

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  • Warmelink and Siitonen (2011) review studies of player communities.

    “Warmelink and Siitonen (2011, p. 9) review studies of player communities and find that they discuss player communities with a variety of terms: guild, community, group, network, organization, team, raid, party, clan and social formation or unit.”

    From Real-time hermeneutics: meaning-making in ludonarrative digital games (2018) · cites this paper as Warmelink and Siitonen, 2011, p. 9

  • Warmelink and Siitonen (2011) find that studies discuss player communities with a variety of terms: guild, community, group, network, organization, team, raid, party, clan, and social formation or unit.

    “Warmelink and Siitonen (2011, p. 9) review studies of player communities and find that they discuss player communities with a variety of terms: guild, community, group, network, organization, team, raid, party, clan and social formation or unit.”

    From Real-time hermeneutics: meaning-making in ludonarrative digital games (2018) · cites this paper as Warmelink and Siitonen, 2011, p. 9

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Research works printed but not linked: 32

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Warmelink, H., & Siitonen, M.
Affiliations
  • Delft University of Technology (NL)
  • University of Jyväskylä (FI)
ORCID
Venue
DiGRA Digital Library
Publisher
Digitial Games Research Association DiGRA
Published
2011-01-01
Volume
6
ISSN
2342-9666
DOI
10.26503/dl.v2011i1.550
OpenAlex
W2166604111
Cited by
13
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 1
FWCI
0.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
other-oa
Locations
  • Breda University of Applied Sciences Portal (publishedVersion)
  • Breda University of Applied Sciences Portal (submittedVersion)
  • Digital Games Research Association Conference
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Media and Digital Communication
Keywords
gaming communities, online multiplayer games, online games, social dynamics, social networks, social structuring

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