The chapter explores the nature of online games, their evolution to date and how they have intertwined with the evolution of commercial interests in the internet for online business (e-business). Beginning with a review of the emergence and transformation of games and commercial contexts, the first two sections of the chapter subsequently review relevant industry reports, research and theoretical underpinnings to the contemporary online gaming, virtual and mirror world context for e-commercial activities. This is then drawn together in the final section, which discusses the emergence and convergence of online economies and the issues arising from their increasing integration with the real world.
Objectives of the chapter are to:
Review the emergence of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) and virtual worlds;
Examine the nature of contemporary online games, their characteristics, differences and similarities;
Discuss the roles of identity and social identity within gaming contexts;
Identify the influence of technology developments for online gaming participation;
Review the role and behavior of online gaming communities and tribes;
Identify the range of commercial models applied to online gaming contexts;
Discuss the forms, nature and evolution of relationships between players and game developers;
Evaluate the role of co-creation and co-production within virtual world experience environments;
Examine the emergence of online gaming economies;
Discuss the issues arising from convergence of online gaming economies with real world activities; and
Highlight gaps in research and application of relevant theories.
Online gaming has had a varied path to its current metamorphosis into an influential sector that is now being used for much more than purely entertainment. The games sector’s rise has, however, been tied to the development of commercial networks and the internet. Table 1 identifies the origins of online gaming which can be traced back to the 1960s (for a detailed history of the emergence of online role playing games in particular see also Barton, 2008).
Source: based on Mulligan (1999)