First off, I don’t have a clue of what the cemented thesis is. Nardi lacks a clear argument and created more of an “I like WoW” and “Look what people can do with WoW” book. She is definitely the type of person I think of when I see anthropological writing.

What I have noticed during the book was a feeling of World of Warcraft being a similar game to Second Life where people lived a virtual world that took up their time. The only difference was the emphasis on fighting rather than mingling and creating that complete virtual lifestyle. They hold plays and other activities you would see in normal lives. WoW has become a community for the outcasts and for those that feel like being a part of something social in a way.

I noticed these themes throughout all video games I’ve researched the communities behind. People will be “different” from the world that surrounds them, but they find that sense of identity within games. Whenever Nardi talked about her experiences in WoW, it seems she began to witness this firsthand when they said they need her character. A person already assimilated with the real world found a connection with the virtual world without even really needing to find that acceptance. This feeling she had kind of makes me believe that people can find acceptance into the community even without experience in video games themselves. From my personal experience, it just depends on the game and whom you meet.

So where do people stand for the deeper purpose towards why they play games?