Conjugal Gaming: An Analysis of World of Warcraft from the Perspective of Real Life Couples

Kate ComptonMarleigh Norton

Brandon Yarbrough

Why “Conjugal Gaming”?

• World of Warcraft– Fastest selling video game of all time– Just started

• Problem: Too broad a topic.

• Solution: Pick a sub-population to study– Not the stereotypical gamers– Real life couples

Outline• Brief demo• Participants• Data and analysis of couple-related issues

– Role-playing romance– Adventuring together vs. playing at the same

time– Communication– Long-distance activity

Demo

Participants• 6 couples -> 12 participants

– Recruited via personal contacts, forums, in-game chat

– Some interviewed together, some separately

• Ages 22-54, average 34• 3 couples married, 1 couple engaged• All gamed before WoW• All but one couple gamed together before WoW

DataRole-playing Romance

• Not common among our participants– Many didn’t role-play– Others didn’t want to mix real life romance

with in-game romance• Bad experiences in the past

AnalysisRole-playing Romance

• WoW supports romance as toy– Items: wedding dresses, rings, flowers– Emotes: flirt, hug, kiss, dance

• Could add romantic quests– Write someone’s name in the stars for a day

• No good solution for in-game/out-of-game romantic awkwardness

DataAdventuring Together vs.Playing at the Same Time

• Adventuring together– Requires characters near same level– Coupled characters– Game dates

• Playing at the same time– Still a shared experience– Watch each other play– Constantly talking about the game

AnalysisAdventuring Together vs.Playing at the Same Time

• Parties with two characters– Works well, better than EverQuest– Classes broader

• Level disparity a big problem– City of Heroes has good solution– Link characters

DataCommunication

• Play in same room, if possible– Communicate by talking

– Faster than text chat

• Can see each other’s screens, usually don’t look

AnalysisCommunication

• Text chat clearly not good enough– Voice chat

– Redesign chat window

• Awareness is good

DataLong-Distance Activity

• Something to do with partner when apart– Business trips

• Long-distance relationship– Good and bad

When he has problems with the game, it makes me think that he doesn’t want to play with me, that my game’s not good enough for him.

AnalysisLong-Distance Activity

• Works great as a long-distance activity– MMORPGs are designed for that purpose

• Long-distance relationships…– We can help, sort of– Better than nothing, but not a substitute for

face-to-face

Summary• Brief demo• Participants• Data and analysis of couple-related issues

– Role-playing romance– Adventuring together vs. playing at the same

time– Communication– Long-distance activity

Questions?

KateCompton

MarleighNorton

BrandonYarbrough