Ladies of Warcraft: changing perceptions of women and technology through productive play

Abstract

Women are frequently underrepresented and misrepresented in gaming culture. Stereotypes of "female gamers" often contribute to the abysmally low engagement of women in information and communication technologies (ICTs). This pilot ethnographic study considers how a female-gamer community employs positive perceptions of women and their relationships with ICTs through "productive play" in the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft. Women utilize the game's online community as a mode for both game practicality and everyday sociality. Preliminary findings suggest how the production of player connections impact user identity both "inside" and "outside" of game spaces; these interactions are potentially significant because of the known link between community, participation, and retention for ICT-related careers. Further research is needed to understand the potential for gaming culture to attract underrepresented groups into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.