The Aspatial Economics of Virtual Worlds
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19544529 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Edward Heath Robinson (corresponding author) |
| Year | 2014 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2014-01-19 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Virtual Worlds Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1941-8477 • E-ISSN: 1941-8477 |
| Publisher | Virtual Worlds Institute, Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.4101/jvwr.v7i1.7088 |
| OpenAlex | W2305096547 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 12 |
This article compares and contrasts the economic geography of the physical world with that of virtual worlds, with an analytical focus on the spatial (and aspatial) characteristics of Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo II (released in 2000) and its massively multiplayer online roleplaying game World of Warcraft (released in 2004). The purpose of this article is to show that although virtual worlds are not immune to aspatial economic laws, geographic constraints on economic interaction in virtual worlds are optional inclusions. Virtual world designers can manage the inclusion, disinclusion, and degree of emphasis on space and place in order to carefully craft a specific user experience. Hence, even though virtual worlds may provide the illusion of operating in a spatially bounded environment, the underlying mechanics of the world may not have spatial constraints.Nevertheless, the article concludes that there still remains a role for geographic analysis in virtual worlds, especially because, though space may be deemphasized, virtual world designers still may go to great effort to emphasize place to create the users’ experiences. Further, the study of the economics of virtual worlds may provide insight into possible future economic situations of the physical world as increasingly more physical goods become digital
Art · Craft · Data science · Entertainment · Geography · Human–computer interaction · Illusion · Metaverse · Virtual economy · Virtual reality · Visual arts · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Cultural Industries and Urban Development · Digital Games and Media · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Psychology
An Odyssey into Virtual Worlds
Don't Hate the Player, Hate the Game
World of Bizcraft
Another Time, Another Space
World of Warcraft
China’s New Gold Farm
How Massive Multiplayer Online Games Incorporate Principles of Economics
Coming of Age in Second Life
Being in the World (of Warcraft)
Blood Scythes, Festivals, Quests, and Backstories
The Anthropology of Online Communities
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.1 |
| Citation span | 2016 - 2016 (1) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |