Digital Culture, Play, and Identity: A World of Warcraft® Reader
"Multidisciplinary in their perspectives, thoughtful in their                 analyses, and above all deeply and collaboratively engaged with the online world                 whereof they speak, the contributors to this 'World of Warcraft Reader' have                 fashioned not only a valuable introduction to one of the core texts of the new                 digital literacy but a working model of the most rewarding forms this emergent                 literacy may take."--Julian Dibbell, author of Play Money: Or How I Quit My Day Job                 and Made Millions Trading Virtual Loot"With its millions of users around the globe, World of Warcraft points to                 a future cyberspace far more fantastic and revolutionary than we had ever imagined:                 entire human societies immersed for thousands of hours in pursuit of fictional                 dragons. The essays in this book reveal the differences and similarities found in                 the human societies of World of Warcraft, explosive combinations that will shock our                 century as game worlds come to dominate daily life."--Edward Castronova, Indiana                 University(Edward Castronova)"The authors represent a new breed of academic scholar, researchers                 whodon't just study games, but play them as well. The essays reflect theirintimate                 knowledge of the game, the many hours logged into the digitalworld of Azeroth, and                 the deep love/hate relationship with World ofWarcraft that every player knows so                 well. Because they are in factplayers, the authors' joy and excitement for the game                 shines throughevery essay in the collection."--Eric Zimmerman, Co-Founder of                 Gamelab, and co-author of Rulesof Play, and The Game Design Reader(Eric Zimmerman)"It's a delight to read so many astute game studies scholars approach one                 game, in one volume. World of Warcraft Reader provides an invaluable comparative                 resource for the field."--Mary Flanagan, Department of Film and Media Studies,                 Hunter College, and co-editor of re: skin(Mary Flanagan)"It's a delight to read so many astute game studies scholars approach one                 game, in one volume.Digital Play, Culture, and Identityprovides                 an invaluable comparative resource for the field."Mary Flanagan, Department of Film and Media Studies, Hunter College, and co-editor ofre: skin"The authors represent a new breed of academic scholar, researchers who                 don't just study games, but play them as well. The essays reflect their intimate                 knowledge of the game, the many hours logged into the digital world of Azeroth, and                 the deep love/hate relationship with World of Warcraft that every player knows so                 well. Because they are in fact players, the authors' joy and excitement for the game                 shines through every essay in the collection."Eric Zimmerman,                 Co-Founder of Gamelab, and co-author ofRules of Play,andThe Game Design Reader"With its millions of users around the globe,World of                 Warcraftpoints to a future cyberspace far more fantastic and                 revolutionary than we had ever imagined: entire human societies immersed for                 thousands of hours in pursuit of fictional dragons. The essays in this book reveal                 the differences and similarities found in the human societies ofWorld of                 Warcraft,explosive combinations that will shock our century as game                 worlds come to dominate daily life."Edward Castronova, Indiana                 University