The Dancers at the End of Time: Researching the Future through MMORPGs

The Dancers at the End of Time: Researching the Future through MMORPGs Nick Gadsby

Or A Tale of Two Virtual Worlds

8 million users worldwide Spawned novels, card & board games and movie planned Ushered in the ‘Age of WoW’ Ubiquitous mainstream media coverage Open to commerce ‘ Real Life’ brands opened up shop in game Featured on Radio 4 Featured in an episode of South Park

MUD (Multi-User Dungeon)

M assively

M ultiplayer

O nline

R ole

P laying

G ame

Persistent Social Dynamic Economies What is an MMORPG? A bit like a computer game, but…

What do you do in MMORPGs?

Make a character or avatar

Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCw6Ogt8Thc Make a character or avatar

Idealised self Alter ego Player Tool Functional Emotional Make a character or avatar

What do you do in MMORPGs? Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMmWBL8wtKU

Absolute freedom Game rules & objectives Closed economy Open economy Factions: shared goals Individual goals & objectives Anyone can play Socialising & Communities Money, programming skills useful

Absolute freedom Game rules & objectives Closed economy Open economy Factions: shared goals Individual goals & objectives Anyone can play Money, programming skills useful The ‘New Golf’

GUILDS INTEREST GROUPS

The ‘Magic Circle’ MMORPG world ‘ Real Life’

The ‘Magic Circle’ MMORPG world ‘ Real Life’ Blogs Websites Forums CCG Novels Movies MONEY Addons BRANDS Machinima

American Apparel BBC Radio 1

Station Exchange – official marketplace for Everquest II players For buying and selling in game coins, items and characters Handled transactions of $1.87 million in its first year

Edward Castranova, Economist, Indiana University 1/5 of the players interviewed considered the in-game world as their main place of residence in 2005, the collective volume of annual trade in MMORPGs exceeded $1 billion Norrath, the game world in Everquest, had a GNP about the same as Bulgaria’s By 2020 the total population of MMORPGs is expected to be in excess of 100 million Author of Synthetic Worlds: the business and culture of online games Average time spent in MMORPG – 20 hours a week

PS3 Home

Brands?

Brands? Have to learn to Play the Game

Brands? Don’t be yourself Rule 1. The hype can be real Rule 2. Immersion is everything Rule 3.

Don’t be yourself Rule 1.

Real Life MMORPG World Don’t be yourself

Real Life MMORPG World X Don’t be yourself

The hype can be real Rule 2.

The hype can be real

Blooddrenched Nike Trainers Equip: Increases your movement speed by 200% The hype can be real

Immersion is everything Rule 3.

Immersion is everything