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Designed for Play: A Case Study of Uses and Gratifications as Design Elements in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games

Presented to the Faculty of Liberty University School of Communication Studies

In partial fulfillment of the degree of Master of the Arts in Communication Studies

By Timothy P. Gibson, Jr. Fall 2008

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Dedication Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. -- Hebrews 12:1 (New Living Translation) My thesis is like the race mentioned in the verse above so let it be dedicated to those who ran this race with me. First, the faculty listed on the title page who endured reading this during the summer while I had an extended stay at Liberty University. It’s also dedicated to those who endured that extended lap with me and understand the value of a job finished even if it is in August opposed to May. Also, I cannot leave out my family and friends, especially my parents who always taught me that it’s not whether I win or lose in the race, but that I finish the course set before me. Finally and most importantly, let it be a dedication to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit who allowed me to finish this race. May all who reads this thesis know that God reveals minor truths in all things including academic writings such as the one presented here. -Timothy P. Gibson, Jr., August 2008

Gibson iii Abstract: The World of Warcraft is a paid electronic experience known as a Massively Online Role Playing Game. Since its creation, this video game has attracted over ten million subscribers. A broad question asked why this massive amount of people would join this online environment. The researcher proposed that developers of the game designed certain uses and gratifications into the online environment and that these elements