Massively Multi-Player Online Role Playing Games: What’s the Risk?

Abstract

Some may argue that the proliferation of personal computers together with the widespread use of the Internet has brought many benefits to society. The popularity of the internet and its associated online services continues to grow at an exponential rate and consequently, so does the number of avenues for potential exploitation. Prior research has already established that sexual predators and social engineers use the Internet as a means to target and exploit individuals. Indeed, previous studies highlight the significant threats faced by users of instant messaging and social networking facilities. Online role-playing games and virtual environments provide yet another platform for users to interact with one another. Evidence suggests that subscribers of such services often become so immersed in a fantasy world that their ability to differentiate between the virtual and real world is reduced. This monograph investigates the level of threat faced by users of virtual environments and online role-playing games. The study made use of an online survey to assess the current level of awareness and understanding amongst individuals who spend excessive amounts of time engaging in such environments.

A novel taxonomy of opportunities and risks in massively multiplayer online role playing games

“…Evidence collated from previous studies [6,42,18] together with the aforementioned survey findings [32,33] suggests that factors unique to MMORPG environments create emerging opportunities and risks for gamers. Examples included significant positive correlations between levels of addiction to MMORPG's and levels of data disclosure (r(N=188) = .286 p <.001) and positive correlations between levels of data disclosure, self-promotion (r(N=188) = .347 p <.001), ingratiation (a strategic attempt to get someone to like you in order to obtain compliance with a request) (r(N=188) = .285 p <.001) and intimidation (r(N=188) = .257 p <.001).…”

“…Hammersley [17] proposes that quantitative measurement is most often addressed by means of well-established concepts of validity and reliability. Therefore, the two survey studies conducted by the authors [32,33] used well-established, reliable and valid constructs. Player behaviour was measured using Bolino and Turnley's [4] Impression Management scale together with Deci and Ryan's [11] Self Determination Theory construct.…”

“…Addiction was measured using a 22 item Game Addiction Scale (GAS) developed and validated by Lemmens et al [24] based on Griffths and Hunt's [16] original six point behavioural addiction criteria. Risks to privacy were measured using an average score of data types previously disclosed within the MMORPG environments and users were classified as either high or low risk depending on their average score [32]. The three aforementioned scales were adopted as each has been rigorously tested for reliability and validity.…”

“…The horizontal axis labels were therefore substituted with the string of 'vulnerable individual' in place of 'child'. The scope was widened to vulnerable individuals as previous studies highlighted that a wide age range of participants engage and interact in MMORPG environments [32,33,42]. In addition, the evidence base for the proposed taxonomy put forward by Sanders et.…”

“…This paper presents a taxonomy of opportunities and risks in MMORPG environments for vulnerable individuals. This taxonomy has been designed based on analysis of findings from two survey based studies [32,33] juxtaposed with Yee's [42] classification of motivations for game play. Section 2 introduces the methodology.…”